# Seeding Pasture-What would you use??



## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Hello: I am having to reseed our pasture after we lime. What seed would you mix for a pasture in the Northwest....for horses and goats? Any ideas?


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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

There's a forage seed that you can buy at tractor supply that's what I use.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

If I were choosing I would go with a Timothy alfalfa mix and get some clover and such in there too, try to get the best nutrition off of pasture that you can, that way you don't have to pay for nutrition in the form of expensive hay as a supplement. 

Grow the good stuff......feed the fiber. Instead of the other way around.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I've been told to get seed that is local...meaning produced, grown and proven successful here. Otherwise it has a lower germination rate. I'll be doing the same thing this/next month...so I'm looking around too


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Thank you all for your responses! So what I was told by our local extension guy was to call a specific seed company locally here. So I did. They don't use all local seed in their mixes but you can add stuff too. This is what they both suggested....

Grasses:
Tall Fescue (pasture type)
Orchard Grass
White clover
Alfalfa
Plaintain
Chicory
and maybe 
Brassica

I was told Timothy grass is really a horse grass.....so not sure what to think about that.

So I am looking for specifics on what I should add. If those of you responding could be specific in what type of grass or addition that would be helpful. I am thinking to get one of their mixes locally at the local grass seed company and then add the above to the mix afterward...seeding twice.

We had a soil analysis done and found we need 5 ton of lime per acre applied first!! YIKES! Alot of lime....our ph was waaaay off and thus our germination of grass was not good! FYI for those who may be thinking about seeding. Have a professional ph test done first....it isn't expensive and tells you a whole lot about your ground!


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

I'd be careful about using too much tall fescue in a mix. Granted, goats typically don't eat it, but read this link. 
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/fescue.html
I think if there's plenty of other stuff in the mix, it would be fine, but I'm not an expert.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

This is a great question and I wish I had a pat answer.
I did this a few years ago. There are so many variables. How many acres? How many goats? How long can you keep goats off of it? What kind of farm implimants do you have to prep the field? I had some fun, and my goats did enjoy,planting some chickory and hairy vetch. It will come up somewhat in the fall if you get it in soon. It will all be gone in a year tough. The grasses and clovers are what will stick around and take the pressure.


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

We have four acres of pasture. We have 5 goats so far. The tall fescue would be in a pasture mix with other grasses I believe I cant remember which ones....so that isn't the only grass we are planting. Then we could add things to seed as well. The seed company told me it is best to seed clover by itself....it is such a small seed that in a seeder it goes to the top and doesn't seed evenly.

Our friend has a tractor and is disking in the lime for us and reseeding.

The goats will be in a dry lot of sorts while the field is being seeded....they will have access to outside in a smaller pen for the winter/early spring. Then we will put them out to pasture in the spring once the grass is up and all is growing well.

Also another note.....the seed company told me that a person should not fertilize the same time as liming. Lime will eat the fertilizer or maybe it was the other way around. Anyway he said to wait until you have a good stand of grass and then fertilize....so maybe next spring we would fertilize or next fall depending on how the grass germinates and grows.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Timothy is not a bad grass if it will do well. Fescue is the one that can cause problems sometimes with fescue toxicity. Good luck with your seeding. Remember to introduce your goats slowly to the new lush pasture in the spring. I like to have their bellies full of a grass hay before they go out.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I was told to fertilize when we seed... Just mentioning it to throw another complication in 


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

We also need to lime...just can't afford to do it all 


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

I thought you said goats and horses that's why I said Timothy! Sorry


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

This one http://www.silverfallsseed.com/seed/Grass-Seed-Mixes-and-Blends/Grassland-Mix.html
with this http://www.silverfallsseed.com/seed/Ground-Cover-and-Erosion-Control-Seed/Common-Vetch.html
and this http://www.silverfallsseed.com/seed/Ground-Cover-and-Erosion-Control-Seed/Austrian-Field-Peas.html
this http://www.silverfallsseed.com/seed/Flower-Seed-Mixes-and-Blends/Elite-Wild-Game-Garden-Mix.html
and finally this http://www.silverfallsseed.com/seed/Ground-Cover-and-Erosion-Control-Seed/White-Clover.html

There you go my dream seed mix.


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## SeventeenFarms (Dec 10, 2013)

it may take a few years for the lime to fully react with your soil, yet you will see better growth from the start, and over time you will need less fertilizer due to the chem changes in the soil - lime is worth every penny, and discing it in is a great way to go! Be aware that there are two types of lime - hi cal and dolomitic. Your tests may call for either or a combination of both. It matters. As far as fertilizing when liming...there are all types of materials out there- some are soluble, others release long term, then there are organics. There can be problems that can occur if you lime and fertilize at the same time, but not catastrophic. Sometimes you will get less out of your fertilizer due to reactions. The real part to know is what type of fertilizer you are using and its salt and burn potential- that can hurt seedlings real fast! Since pasture is a long term crop, its best to use something that has a bit of soluable (quick release) with a high percentage of slow release. Putting it down at the right rates, after the pasture gets going a bit, is best. Seedlings are prone to burn, especially from high salts and if it's not irrigated in. I could go on and on, but my main point that I am getting to is to research your fertilizer as well as you are researching your pasture mix- its what feeds it. If you feed it junk or incorrectly, your pasture will not be as good. Call your extension agent for for help on this. ps - when I overseeded my pasture - mainly for my horses- I talked with others and asked what grew best for them in the area. I grow "fine turf" for a living, but pasture is a whole different story! so much to learn, as grass is not just grass! Nothing beats local knowledge!


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

Old farmers say if you only have $ to lime or fertilize then do the lime....


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

Okay I have a question, because fescue can cause toxicity, does or can fescue cause a goat to not have milk once they kid? I know with horses fescue is a no no during the last of their pregnancy because it can keep them from producing colostrum and milk? Don't know if the OP breeds or not but that be something to take into consideration maybe?


Samantha

"5 minutes of fresh air is equivalent to 5 mg Valium"


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## PygmyMom (Mar 3, 2014)

My goats only eat green Timothy/alfalfa mix. They refuse any other hay. Timothy is their absolute favorite. They are snobs and particular on their hay. Living in MN it's hard to come by/harvest fresh green Timothy year round so we are forced to buy it in bulk at around $15 a bale most times. Maybe I missed where you are from but if you have horses and goats I would plant the Timothy/alfalfa for sure.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

SeventeenFarms said:


> it may take a few years for the lime to fully react with your soil, yet you will see better growth from the start, and over time you will need less fertilizer due to the chem changes in the soil - lime is worth every penny, and discing it in is a great way to go!


Question about lime:
How safe is it for goats. As in, how long should you keep your goats off a recently limed field? Or do you even have to keep them off it?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

nannysrus said:


> Okay I have a question, because fescue can cause toxicity, does or can fescue cause a goat to not have milk once they kid?


It is not in fact the Fescue it's self that causes the problems. It is the Endophytes that are a symbiotic with it.

Oregon native Fescues are Endophyte free.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you use the pelleted lime, it needs to be completely dissolved before letting any animals on it.


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## SeventeenFarms (Dec 10, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> If you use the pelleted lime, it needs to be completely dissolved before letting any animals on it.


and if you use the pulverized, be sure it is washed off the plant and into the ground - I would be concerned of it affecting their stomach pH if they ate a lot of it? I always wait a week or two even after doing any fertilizer or lime and wait for rain too if I can.

but if you are discing in the lime you are way ahead of the game as its in the soil.

kbt


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