Pasture and Hayland
Grasses commonly are planted as permanent forage for livestock production, cover type for wildlife habitat and conservation practices for soil protection. They provide a major staple in the diets of domestic and wild herbivores, habitat structure for many wildlife species and ground cover to stabilize soils. Both cool- and warm-season grasses are utilized, depending on the resource needs and objectives of the land manager.
Selection of the proper species and variety is an important step when choosing a grass seeding mixture. Grass species and varieties differ in growth habitat, productivity, forage quality, drought resistance, tolerance to grazing, winter hardiness, seedling vigor, salinity tolerance and many other characteristics. Therefore, selection should be based on the climate, soils, intended use and planned management.
