Best Management Practices: Mar Gar Farm

This farm participated in a Penn State Extension Equine program to implement practices that increase the canopy cover and desirable forages in pastures, reduce nutrient and sediment loss from farms, and reduce the overfeeding of nutrients in the ration.

Best Management Practice (BMP) Identified

Increase desirable forage to meet horses' nutritional requirements, while minimizing weed populations and bare ground.

BMP Reasoning

Pastures were void of sufficient vegetative cover, and lacked perennial plants to protect and cover soil year round. Introducing permanent vegetation would benefit horses' health and prevent sediment and nutrient runoff, which negatively affect water quality.

Course of action

• Date Reseeded:
• Equipment Used:
• Seed Mix:
• Soil Tested: Yes
• Fertilizer: (Recommend 125 lb N -80 lb P-40 lb K)
• Lime: (Recommend 3000 lb per acre)
• Other:

Results

Prior to renovating, 60% of the pasture lacked vegetative growth. The remaining 40% was vegetation consisting of 10% weeds, and 30% desirable grasses. After reseeding, the overall condition of the pasture improved significantly. Vegetation and desirable forage doubled, and weed populations decreased by half. Only 5% of the pasture's vegetation consisted of weeds.

Challenges

On-going Management and Additional BMPs

Continuing to improve pastures through:

• Practicing rotational grazing
• Turning horses out to gravel sacrifice area when weather conditions are unfit
• A bioswale, a vegetated channel, was installed to direct concentrated storm water away and around the sacrifice area and prevent further erosion problems. Clean water is then prevented from flowing directly through the sacrifice area and contaminating areas with sediment and nutrients.