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The pasture renovator
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Author:  Oxenology [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:50 pm ]
Post subject:  The pasture renovator

In discussion with a neighbor that is new from the city he was singing the praises of the pasture renovator implement for his old hay field. The way he had it adjusted it rips little trenches in the top six inches of soil.
He has a sandy loam soil that has been over grazed and abused the last 30 years with only chemical fertilizer occasionally.
How do others with a more natural bent on things look at this treatment?
I told him if he just felt like he had to do something and this made him feel better I guess it is worth the expense from a mental stand point.
My question is, given the type of soil and the shallow depth is there any advantage to this physical method? Doesn't the soil just fall right back into the trenches after a few rain storms? I fully understand about using an aerator and applying compost in the holes but that is not what he is doing.
I suggested he would get much better results if he spent time and money into applying humas or compost tea instead of doing some kind of physical treatment.
Does my opinion agree with others that have experience with pastures?

Author:  ranchcop [ Sat May 02, 2009 9:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The pasture renovator

We suggest renovating All of our Customers pastures, especially if you have any type of Bermuda. It breaks up the runners and the roots and starts new plants to thicken the grass stand. Plus if you do it before you apply a soil conditioner or Microbes they will move down in the soil faster. I have noticed that it also helps with run off of the rain, in other words the water goes down not over the top of your soil. Plus it is not as harsh on the Microbes as deep plowing.
Bradley Watson
www.WatsonRanchOrganic.com
You can find a link for Renovators on our website! Built right here in East Texas!

Author:  user_48634 [ Fri May 29, 2009 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The pasture renovator

I would think a better solution would be to stop all use of chemicals and run goats using no hormones or dewormers. If the size warrants it, run cows with calves. The calves don't eat the grass but they run around and play which is exactly what the soil needs. Cross fence the animals in tight and move them from pasture to pasture every couple of days. Keep enough pastures so that the animals don't have to return to the first pasture until the plants/grass have grown up tall.

Get the soil tested at The Texas Plant and Soil Lab and feed the livestock whatever minerals the soil needs. Other than that, don't treat the soil with anything and let the new inrush of insects and animal dung take care of it. Hopefully he'll get some dung beetles that will do a better job of aerating than his renovator tool.

Author:  ranchcop [ Sat May 30, 2009 9:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The pasture renovator

David,
Your idea is wonderful, my only concern is cost. If you have only a few acres, the cost for fencing, cross fencing and running water to each pasture would be comparable to that of a renovator. If you are talking about 10 acres or more, the cost would be far beyond what a renovator would cost. Most ranches that I visit are not set up to handle goats. I totally agree about the chemicals, dewormers, rotational grazing, etc. By the way I am not selling renovators, I simply have a link to a site that builds them to Watson Ranch specs.

Author:  rosemary4444 [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The pasture renovator

since its puncture wounds enter the vital organs directly whereas cuts are often stopped by armour and bones, and also while raising the arm to deliver a cut one exposes one's right side to a thrust.

Fencing Supplies

Author:  Within Reason [ Mon May 30, 2011 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The pasture renovator

Yes, Pasture aeration is a good method, especially for pastures which are of a stoloniferous& or rhizomotous grass forage species. Bermudagrass in particular.

The aeration effects are temporarily beneifical for clay and compacted soils, and can help to capture otherwise run-off during initial rainfall events.

On sandy soils, aeration is beneficial only in thickening up a stand of bermudagrass, by cutting stolons, and then esentially replanting (sprigging). You can't aerate an already aerated soil.

Aeration, is also (as mentioned) a great method for ensuring capture of ADDED SOILD AMMENDMENTS, keeping them from just running off of the soil surface during hard rainfall events.
---------------
As for other comments, NO, animals playing/frolicking on the forages does not benefit it, it does nothing but trample the ground and compact the soil. Contrary to some very seriously skewed teachings, hoof action (from animals) does not help aerate the soil, instead, it compacts it (think about it).

As for fencing, it is often not necessary, cost & labor prohibitive.

Most people's downfalls at raising livestock is improper stocking rates (always stocking too heavily). Intensive cell grazing systems are only one method, not necessarily the best method. Proper grazing mgmt starts and ends with proper stocking rates.

Molasses is a great product for improving microbial activity, but supplies very little actual nutrients required for grass production.

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