Stressed grass?

[peanut]

Can someone please explain exactly what "stressed grass" is and how to identify it.

Is it weedy or sparse and can you tell just from the look of it?

 

[touchstone]

Stressed grass is usually overgrazed and underfertilised, it tends to be cropped very close to the ground in most cases I believe. It can also become stressed in drought conditions and when frozen, anything that makes the growing conditions difficult.

In the case of grazing a laminitic though I find it is the quantity rather than the quality of the grass that makes the difference, so I'd rather graze on very short restricted, albeit 'stressed' grass than allow access to longer grass and more intake in total.

 

[peanut]

In the case of grazing a laminitic though I find it is the quantity rather than the quality of the grass that makes the difference, so I'd rather graze on very short restricted, albeit 'stressed' grass than allow access to longer grass and more intake in total.

That's what I find so confusing! We are warned not to put a laminitic on stressed grass.

 

[touchstone]

I agree it is confusing!

I think that what I find is that the overall grass consumption is lower on short grass whereas although the sugars may be lower in longer grass, many ponies and horses can consume a fair amount in comparison and so in effect consume more sugar if that makes sense

I know in the past I've tried grazing longer grass and foggage and always had to return to the short stuff. I can get away with longer grass if muzzled or very gradually strip grazed though.

 

[PennyJ]

Its quite easy to spot once you know what you're looking for (ie once you've come across some). There's no "bottom" in the grass - sparse "thin" grass and lots of earth on show.. Your good doers will be hungry and actively looking for more food and also losing weight rapidly, which may or may not be a good thing at first.

Usually it takes many years of overgrazing (think minimum of 5 horse/pony out 24/7 on 3 acres for example over a period of at least a couple of years and no rest periods for the grass) and said grass not being fertilised or rested for a number of years. Totally different to your strip grazed so-called stressed grass which is what people are usually referring to.

Interestingly the grass starts to recover really well once it starts to get some decent treatment - even just being "rested" overnight whilst horses stabled starts to help the grass begin to recover and start growing again.

 

[touchstone]

Its quite easy to spot once you know what you're looking for (ie once you've come across some). There's no "bottom" in the grass - sparse "thin" grass and lots of earth on show.. Your good doers will be hungry and actively looking for more food and also losing weight rapidly, which may or may not be a good thing at first.

Usually it takes many years of overgrazing (think minimum of 5 horse/pony out 24/7 on 3 acres for example over a period of at least a couple of years and no rest periods for the grass) and said grass not being fertilised or rested for a number of years. Totally different to your strip grazed so-called stressed grass which is what people are usually referring to.

Interestingly the grass starts to recover really well once it starts to get some decent treatment - even just being "rested" overnight whilst horses stabled starts to help the grass begin to recover and start growing again.

My grazing is on a track system that is used 24/7 and unfertilized - it's definitely stressed bless it!