# Tips for Seeding Pasture



## gailp (Jan 8, 2011)

Hi all,
I'm so happy I found this website and look forward to learning all I can about grass and pasture. I have 15 acres in South Texas where I raise boer goats and 2 horses. To start out, I'm looking to seed five of my acres where my goats have cleared a partial area already and find a good grass mix that would benefit my goats and horses. I'm planning to do rotational grazing with 3 different pastures and would be grateful for any tips on how to start this venture. I have tractor that I can clear what I need to do. I have not contacted my county agent or done any type of soil testing. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Gail


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

This is a great site to learn from, but, as you mentioned, your first step is to contact your county agents office. That office will have a wealth of information (publications) on grasses, and can tell you how to connect to the Extension ebook store for additional reading material, etc. that you can benefit from. They also will explain to you how to take a soil sample and submit it for analysis. Once you have done some preliminary reading with them, you can get other opinions from Hay Talk experts who have experienced what you are planning to do.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

Gail,
First of all, welcome to the forum. Dr. Haby's advice is without a doubt invaluable. Soil testing as you previously stated, is another good step early on. I cannot speak to goat nutrition, or many other animals for that matter, since I quit raising grass burners many years ago. I would think any of the common species of grasses in your area would be desirable. Selection is important, but I've found that management and harvest technique is critical. Just my personal observations mind you, but nearly any decent forage, properly maintained and handled will take care of your needs. From there the question is what can you manage? I sell a bit of hay to a friend that raises show goats, and I do know that he always wants the nastiest stuff. I think that guy would buy briars if I would bale it for him!!!!


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Welcome! Actually you've got a good mix of animals. The horses will eat the grass and the goats will eat the weeds and everything else. I'm not sure that you can buy bags of weeds though. Like dubltrubl, I know a guy with goats. He's delighted when I roll up a weedy field to clean it up, they don't seem to like grass. We had some goats when I was a kid, they loved young sprouting Mesquite trees and were more efficent than anything else at controlling them.

You guys still have the landing field down there? When I went through NAS Chase Field and NAS Kingsville we used the landing field at Orange Grove to shoot touch & go's.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Far as what goats like to eat, a guy just south of us has dairy goats, he likes hay that was baled just on the tough side. If it gets too dry they won't eat it.


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