Sowing Grass

[Drum]

How long does it take from planting grass seed to the following three things?
1 grazing with sheep,
2 grazing with horses,
3 cutting hayage (with no animals grazing obviously)

I know weather, type of grass, soil etc. will affect it but I'm just looking for an indication.

Thanks

 

[LiveryList]

The problem with grazing horses on grass grown from seeds is that it takes quite a while for the root system to establish enough for it to support the horses so the grass is not literally torn from the ground root and all by both grazing and the horses being on the pasture.

As a rule i would generally say around two years for it to be fully established, less for smaller animals such as sheep dependent upon the soil type and grass mix. as well as the amount of time you intend to graze on it per day. You can get sturdier seed mixes which are designed to make more solid grass which can support the demands of horses but this is more expensive. You would also need to regularly maintain by means of mowing to strengthen and fertilising to encourage grownth plus additional seeding if needs be.

Best thing would be to get the soil tested and then you would have a better idea of what the needs would be for the land.

hope that help. Sorry not sure about the haylage!!

 

[Hedgehunter]

Hi

If you sowed it in late August and took a haylage cut off it the following june, you could graze it after cutting, however it needs to be rolled down as firm as possible after sowing and again in the spring, You should be able to ride a bike over it without making much of a mark

Cheers

HH

 

[Foxhunter49]

Sheep can graze it as soon as it starts to come up. When it is just greened over. Best thing as they nip off the young shoots and encourage a deeper rooting system as well as manuring as they go.

Then as said, cut for haylage in the following year and regrowth then you can graze with horses
It would be better to get two cuts from it than to let the horses graze, the longer you leave it the better it is established.