How much space is there between the forage species in your pasture? How tight is the sward? Is it tight, with little space between plants? Are there gaps between plants, at ground level? Or are there large patches where plants are absent?
What to record
- A score of 1-5 where:
- 1. 0 – 20% Cover – Sparse – little or no vegetation, grass/forages absent from much of the plot
- 2. 20-40% Cover – Partial – some vegetation, still many areas absent
- 3. 40-60% Cover – Equal – covered and uncovered areas about equal
- 4. 60-80% Cover – Dense – most area covered, some space between plants (at base)
- 5. 80-100% Cover – Complete – tight sward, little or no gaps between plants
- Photos
- 1. 0 – 20% Cover – Sparse – little or no vegetation, grass/forages absent from much of the plot
- 2. 20-40% Cover – Partial – some vegetation, still many areas absent
- 3. 40-60% Cover – Equal – covered and uncovered areas about equal
- 4. 60-80% Cover – Dense – most area covered, some space between plants (at base)
- 5. 80-100% Cover – Complete – tight sward, little or no gaps between plants
Equipment
- Quadrat
How to do the test
