Cayuga County GRAZE Program

What is Prescribed Grazing?

Prescribed grazing is the controlled harvest of vegetation, with grazing or browsing animals, managed with the intent to achieve one or more of the following purpose:
    - Improve or maintain the health and vigor of selected plants.
    - Provide forage for grazing animals.
    - Improve or maintain animal health and productivity.
    - Reduce soil erosion and maintain or improve soil conditions.

How Prescribed Grazing Helps?

When properly applied, this practice has the potential to maintain or improve:

• Forage quantity and quality
• Plant diversity
• Grazing animal health and conditions
• Water quality and quantity
• Economic viability
• Wildlife habitat

* In addition to these benefits, soil erosion may be reduced, the short-term impacts of drought on
   forage production may be reduced to increased moisture in the soil profile, healthier and deeper
   plant root systems, and reduced evapotranspiratin rates.

How Can The Graze Program Help Your Farm Operation?

Pasture Quality Assessment

• Soil sampling for nutrient analysis
• Grass species identification & seeding recommendations
• Forage yield potential and sampling for forage nutrient analysis 

Stocking Rate Recommendations

• Enough acres for the size and number of livestock
• Paddock sizing and rotation schedule

Infrastructure Improvements, Planning & Cost Estimation

• Perimeter fencing
  
• Paddock division fence
• Water supply & delivery system
• Animal laneway & access roads
• Pasture planting
• Fertilizer & liming applications

* For more information about Prescribed Grazing or funding, please contact Jason Cuddeback at 315-252-4171 or jcuddeback@cayugaswcd.org