A pasture program for Tennessee

When it is considered that out of 19,085,837 acres of land in farms in Tennessee, 5,643,998 acres are in pasture, one readily sees the importance of pasture in the State. Of the total acreage in farm land, 15 per cent is in plowable pasture.

The farmers of Tennessee have long used their pasture land as a source of free feed. The necessity for replacing the fertility removed by grazing animals has not been considered. Very little attention has been given to reseeding pastures which are running out. Livestock have been allowed to graze at will, often times, completely denuding the landscape. Weeds and other undesirable plants have been allowed to come into pastures, in many cases completely taking them, without any attempt to control their advances.

After considering the importance of pastures in Tennessee, and the pasture management practices the farmers are following, one readily comes to the conclusion that there is a great need for pasture improvement in the State. It is with this thought in mind that this paper has been written. An attempt has been made to set up a sound pasture program for the State, based upon proven, sound, scientific principles.