-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Cory Lundgren, left, and Russ Euken, an Iowa State University Extension beef specialist, inspect a musk thistle. The Lundgren family hosted a pasture management workshop July 10 where ISU Extension specialists discussed weed management and more.

LEHIGH — After several years of extended drought and short pastures for grazing, conditions have changed dramatically this summer. Now’s the time to review the basics of pasture management.

“The goal with all this is to help producers get better productivity out of their pastures,” said Russ Euken, an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist, who shared timely information during a pasture management field day on July 10 at the Lundgren family’s farm near Lehigh.

Approximately 40 people attended this event at the Lundgren family’s pasture site. This area includes 200 acres of open mixed-species pasture and forested grazing lands.

Euken estimates that perhaps 70% of pastures in Iowa are continuously grazed. The rest use rotational grazing, high-density grazing and other methods. The key is to manage grass growth for improved forage quality and a higher utilization rate.

“With any pasture, the goal is to match the forage to the animals’ nutritional requirements,” Euken said. “We can also reduce a lot of erosion coming off the landscape by raising good grass.”

-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Angie Rieck-Hinz, an Iowa State University Extension field agronomist, shared advice on soil fertility and weed management in Iowa pastures during a July 10 field day near Lehigh.

What might fit one producer doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everybody.

“What are your goals?” Euken asked. “It’s important to make a plan to meet these goals, but also try to maintain some flexibility in your plan.”

Fertility management and weed control

Two of the biggest keys to proper pasture management involve fertility management and weed control. Fall is a good time to pull soil samples to determine current nutrient levels in the soil.

“At the very least, take soil samples every four years and make plans accordingly,” said Angie Rieck-Hinz, an ISU Extension field agronomist.

If the pasture is predominantly cool-season grasses (orchard grass, brome grass, fescue, timothy), adding 100 to 150 pounds of total nitrogen (N) can double seasonal dry matter growth, according to ISU. “We recommend a split-application of N, with 75 pounds of urea per acre in mid-March to late April, and 50 to 75 pounds of urea per acre in early August to early September,” Rieck-Hinz said.

Weed control is also essential to good pasture management. It’s important to accurately identify the weeds present in the pasture and control these weeds using the appropriate tactics for the species.

“Weeds invade areas of over-grazing, thin stands, low fertility and traffic paths,” Rieck-Hinz said.

The presence of annual weeds is a key sign of lack of stand competition. Also watch for biennial weeds like bull and musk thistles, which require two years to complete their life cycle.

With annuals and biennial weeds, it’s vital to prevent seed production. Cory Lundgren noted that he drives around his family’s pasture with a utility vehicle and a sprayer to spot-treat weeds.

USDA offers programs for pastures

To aid farmers and landowners with their pasture management efforts, staff with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service are available in each county to provide technical assistance and discuss available programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Programs can assist producers with forage seedings, inter-seeding, brush management, stream crossings, shelterbelts, livestock watering systems, prescribed grazing and fencing, said Kelly Oliver, a USDA-NRCS district conservationist based in the Fort Dodge field office.

“There’s a good amount of money available now, so this is a good time to get involved,” said Oliver, who noted that funds are available for installing shelterbelts, ponds and more. “We have a lot of different options. All you have to do is come see us and tell us what you’re interested in doing on your land.”

Join the CRP/cattle grazing study

Landowners and farmers can also get involved in conservation research. Scientists at Iowa State University, in coordination with the Farm Services Agency, are looking to understand

how cattle grazing may impact environmental outcomes on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The study started in 2024 and will continue until 2028.

“We’re looking for landowners with CRP and farmers with cattle who are willing to allow researchers to monitor their land from 2025 to 2028, and graze cattle during the assigned treatments and report performance,” Euken said.

The goal of the study is to understand how cattle grazing in CRP fields may impact environmental outcomes from those fields and how researchers may be able to find mutually-beneficial practices for agriculture and the environment. The study will examine four key outcomes:

1. Grassland bird nesting. Grassland birds thrive in CRP grasslands. ISU’s research will examine how different species of birds use CRP fields with varying timing and frequency of grazing to understand how to benefit the general numbers of these declining and important wildlife species.

2. Plant diversity. A diverse range of plants supports a wide range of environmental outcomes from CRP fields by supporting wildlife, promoting soil health, capturing greenhouse gasses, improving water quality and preventing the spread of noxious weeds. ISU researchers are studying how plant communities respond to grazing treatments to maximize their benefits.

3. Soil health. This is the foundation of productive ag landscapes. Perennial ecosystems like grasslands promote soil health. ISU researchers will quantify soil health in CRP fields with various grazing treatments to understand how cattle may improve nutrient cycling and promote soil organic carbon.

4. Livestock production. ISU researchers want to work with cattle producers to understand how CRP can be used effectively for mutually beneficial outcomes.

ISU researchers will be monitoring CRP fields across the state that are exposed to a range of grazing treatments applied by private cattle producers. Fields that can be included in this study are those that are in a practice that favors warm-season grasses (like CP25, 2, or 38E) and will be enrolled in the CRP (or at least maintained in grass) through summer 2028.

There are a number of benefits to participants, including better understanding the environmental impact of CRP land, access to forage and CRP acres in grazing treatments, waived payment penalties for any grazing treatments and the possibility to shape CRP policy and management.

For more information, contact ISU project leaders Adam Janke (ajanke@iastate.edu) or Randie Culbertson (rculber@iastate.edu).