22 r.\i\i:usnv of Xkw Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 326 



such pasture as will carry one cow on one and one-halt acres of 

 pasture lor the full pasture season. Savings in fencing and other 

 costs incident to a larger, less productive pasture, and less depen- 

 dence on costly distant pastures for young stock and dry cows are 

 usually enough to carr}- the annual cost of fertilizer on improved 

 pasture. 



Fencing Costs 



One of the high costs for pasture is for fencing and its mainte- 

 nance. It is common practice in most parts of the state to pasture 

 young stock and dry cows on pasture separate from that for the 

 milking herd. This may be a fenced-off part of the home pasture, 

 pasture on an adjacent farm, or pasture at a distance. About 57 per 

 cent of the young stock is pastured away from home and of this about 

 half is on rented pasture. Supervision of stock is usually includ- 

 ed in the rental, the owner of the stock need visit them only oc- 

 casionally. On distant owned pasture weekly visits are the rule, 

 to salt, note condition of stock, of fences, of pasture, and to bring or 

 take away dry cows or those about to freshen. These pastures, 

 whether hired or owned, rarely receive any attention except to see 

 that fences are tight. Such neglect means less and less carrying 

 capacity, and poorer growth and condition of stock. Dry seasons 

 aggravate this condition and materially hasten the time when the 

 pasture becomes too poor to justify renting. 



On the farms surveyed there is sufficient pasture area to furnish 

 most of the pasturage for all the livestock, provided it were improved 

 and placed in its optimum productive capacit\- and maintained there 

 with proper fertilization and use. Such improvement would permit 

 a reduction of about 35 per cent in area and of about 45 per cent in 

 fencing costs. 



