No matter if you’re starting a new pasture or overhauling an old one, choosing the right pasture seed blend is key to good forage and happy, healthy animals. To provide some helpful insight, Hancock Seed Company discusses a few pasture seed basics and what to consider when selecting seeds for your property.
What Are Pasture Seeds?
If you’re a farming, ranching or homesteading novice, you may not know exactly what a pasture seed refers to. In short, pasture seed is a blend of seeds that is planted to provide nutritious and appetizing forage (bulky foods such as grass, hay, and legumes) for animals to graze on. As is the case with humans, animals enjoy variety when it comes to their food, so a mixture of seeds is usually preferred.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Pasture Seed
There are several factors to consider when selecting pasture seed for your property. For example:
- The climate – Grasses like bahia and Bermuda tend to do better in hot climates, while cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue are ideal for pastures in colder climates.
- The condition and drainage of your soil – It’s important to choose a pasture seed that will work well with your soil without depleting its nutrients.
- The size of your pasture – Understandably, a large, sprawling pasture may require more economical pasture seeds.
- The quality of the seed – Not all pasture seed is created equally, so be sure to choose improved or certified seeds with guaranteed germination minimums and fewer weed seeds.
- Timing – When selecting your pasture seed, make sure you’re planting at the right time of year in accordance with the seed type and your climate.
- The animals – The type of animals that will be grazing on your pasture is a key factor to consider when choosing seeds.
Best Pasture Grass Seed for Your Animals
A successful pasture will produce forage that’s nutritious, palatable, and easily digestible. But remember, not every type of forage works well for every type of animal. For instance, horses tend to have more sensitive stomachs than cows, which have multiple stomachs that can better digest fibrous plant materials. Grazing patterns also vary among different types of animals. Are you raising chickens? You might want to consider a flax-rich seed that can help increase Omega-3 levels in eggs, such as our Happy Hen mix!
All this information can seem a little overwhelming, but thankfully, the experts at Hancock Seed make it easy for farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders to find the right pasture seed for their animals. Browse our diverse selection online, which includes:
Your Trusted Source for Pasture Seed & More
Hancock Seed Company supplies premium-quality pasture seed to customers across the country. Whether you’re raising livestock in the south or own a few goats in the midwest, we can deliver the seeds you need to achieve thriving pastures and healthy animals. Check out our products online or contact our helpful professionals today at (800) 552-1027 if you have any questions.
