Pasture

Types of Pasture:
– Pasture lands are enclosed tracts of farmland grazed by domesticated livestock like horses, cattle, sheep, or swine.
– Vegetation of tended pasture mainly consists of grasses with interspersed legumes and other forbs.
– Pasture is typically grazed throughout summer, unlike meadows which are ungrazed or used for grazing after being mown for hay.
– Pasture in a wider sense includes rangelands, unenclosed pastoral systems, and land used by wild animals for grazing.
– Pasture lands are managed through seeding, irrigation, and fertilizers, while rangelands primarily grow native vegetation managed with practices like controlled burning.

Factors in Pasture Management:
– Soil type, minimum annual temperature, and rainfall are crucial factors in pasture management.
– Productivity of sheepwalk is measured by the number of sheep per area and depends on the underlying rock.
– Pasture feeding dominates livestock farming in regions where crop sowing or harvesting is difficult.
– Pasture grazing is managed globally for free-range and organic farming.
– Certain types of pasture suit the diet, evolution, and metabolism of specific animals, contributing to particular ecosystems.

Pasture Lands vs. Rangelands:
– Pasture lands are managed through intensive agricultural practices like seeding and irrigation.
– Rangelands primarily grow native vegetation and are managed with practices like controlled burning.
– Pasture lands are distinct from rangelands in their management practices.
– Rangelands are characterized by regulated intensity of grazing.
– Soil type, minimum annual temperature, and rainfall play important roles in distinguishing pasture lands from rangelands.

Sheepwalk:
– Sheepwalk is an area of grassland where sheep can roam freely.
– Productivity of sheepwalk is measured by the number of sheep per area.
– Sheepwalk is found in areas like County Roscommon, Ireland, and County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
– Pasture feeding is the main food source for ruminants in managed or unmanaged pasture.
– Pasture feeding dominates livestock farming in regions where crop sowing or harvesting is challenging.

Pasture in Different Regions:
– Pasture grazing is managed globally for free-range and organic farming.
– In arid or mountainous regions, pasture feeding dominates livestock farming.
– In humid regions, pasture grazing is managed for free-range and organic farming.
– Different types of pasture suit the diet, evolution, and metabolism of specific animals.
– Fertilizing and tending of the land may result in the pasture being integral to a particular ecosystem.

Pasture (Wikipedia)

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Pasture (from the Latin pastus, past participle of pascere, "to feed") is land used for grazing.