10 University OF New Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 326 



ually a small area near the buildings, and on some farms is so small 

 as to be of little value except as night exercise ground. Where pas- 

 ture even for milk cows is limited, many farmers keep the cattle in 

 the barn at night. 



On some farms there is no separate smaller night pasture and the 

 labor involved in getting cows in the morning from the large day 

 pasture is too great. Some farmers feel that insects disturb the 

 cows less in the barn. On some farms the need for manure is a 

 minor reason for night stabling. Several farmers feel that it is as 

 good if not better to stable and barn-feed cows than to turn them 

 out into a too scant pasture. Only 116 farms out of 256 have night 

 pasture. 



Alternate grazing 



/Vlternate grazing, sometimes more or less irregular, is about as 

 common as night pasturing, for 97 out of 256 report its use. The use 

 of rotated pastures, that is using crop fields as pasture one or more 

 years of the rotation period, is really just beginning to be important 

 as a means of getting more and better pasture. This method can be 

 used only where crop land is suflicicnt to provide both hay and some 

 pasture. Alternate grazing still further increases the production 

 from permanent pasture. 



Data indicate that hcrluige is of better quality and there is a more 

 abundant supply of good pasture grasses and clovers where alter- 

 nate grazing is practiced. It is a question whether the alternate 

 grazing produces better pastures or whether the practice of alternate 

 grazing can be followed more successfully on the better pastures. 



Fall Feeding 



Summer and fall pasturing of regular hay fields is one of the com- 

 monest means of providing feed for dairy cows during the pasture 

 shortage. This practice is to be recommended for fields to be plowed 

 in the fall or the following spring for cultivated crops. Fields that 

 are to be retained in hay should not be pastured closely, as pasturing 

 may seriously affect yields of hay in succeeding seasons. 



Table V. Soil fertility ratings on rotated and permanent pastures, 

 256 New Hampshire farms, 1935 



County 



Belknap 



Carroll 



Cheshire 



Coos 



Crafton 



llillshoro 



Merrimack 



Rockingham 



Strafford 



Sullivan 



AvcraRC 3.6 3.4 



