Figure 2 is a graph that was created from the same data set as Figure 1. However, rather than depicting average forage growth rates it presents, by year, the seasonal pattern of forage production.

Although the lack of precipitation during 1988 reduced the total yield of forage by nearly 25% as compared with 1987, (6800 lbs DM/acre vs. 8600 lbs DM acre respectively) during both years of the study, approximately 50% of the total seasonal yield accrued during the first two months of the grazing season with the remaining 50% accruing over the last four months.

The practical significance of this information is that, even though pastures exhibit large seasonal variations in their rates of growth as well as extreme annual variability in total yield, the general pattern of production is fairly predictable. Although the most reliable method of determining the amount of forage available for grazing is to actually go out in the pasture and physically measure it, if the potential total yield of a pasture can be estimated by association with soil type, fertility level, or actual harvest data, the seasonal pattern of production can be used to estimate forage availability.