Dragging a Pasture

[Anonymous Poster]

Hello Hans--I am sure that method works very well and is better than doing nothing at all--However--I have a neighbor that has a PHD in Parisitology (studys parisites in all livestock) and how to manage them. He writes articles for some of the major monthly farm publications. He actually does controlled field tests on his farm and based on his findings, he suggests pasture rotation grazing practices and the chain-type harrows for the best all round pest control. We personally have used the chain-type harrows in test plots and usually realize excess stimulated plant growth that we use for harvest or pasture, equilivant to the rate of applying a 100 lb of ammonia nitrate per acre. We run a 200 head cow/calf operation in Ky and by using this management tool, we have reduced our herd IBR/BVD and Pinkeye type outbreaks by 50% and get the extra forage growth as a added side benefit. This translates into extra 2-3 thousand dollars profit in our pockets at the end of the year. In my younger days, I have used disc harrows, well casings,telephone poles,field cultivators,spike harrows, etc and none come close to the all round positive results that I get from the Chain Harrows.--Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment Co.

 

[cowboydoc]

Ken,

I couldn't agree more with you. You are right on with our findings as well. We have used other methods and nothing comes close to the exact same way that you explained. I can't even tell you how much more we've gotten from our pastures and money in the bank and in the cattle. The only other thing that we do is that we use the aeration teeth in front of the harrow at times.

 

[JRP]

What does a chain harrow look like?

Any photos?

jrpoux

 

[MarkStewart]

chain harrow pics

 

[MarkStewart]

Check out this guy's method. web page

 

[GlennT]

I store my two sections of chain harrow vertically. I built a 4'x4' frame of 2x4s, with crosspieces to hold it upright and steel castors to facilitate moving it around. I put in heavy hooks on the top 2x4 and hang a section of chain harrow on each side. This works pretty well; although, it takes some muscle to hang up each section. I normally use one section of chain harrow when maintaining my gravel yard and driveway and this allows me to transport the harrow by hanging it from a boom pole. I have a question. I am going to reseed a small pasture and was planning on purchasing a small disk harrow for this. Wouldn't a disk harrow do a better job of loosening the soil and creating fissures to catch and hold the seed, fertilizer and moisture? Or would it be better to disk the pasture to loosen the soil, apply the seed, and then go over it with the chain harrow?

 

[cowboydoc]

I'd disc, plant, and then harrow. Our planter has the harrows already on behind so we do it all in one pass after we've disced it up real nice.

 

[DeanQ]

A drag harrow is just the thing you need. It's great to drag and level arenas and like the others have said to drag your pastures. To move it I would recommend making a harrow lift like the one I have attached pictures of. I would have bought one but the lift was as much as the drag! Mine only cost about $85 to make (including the New Holland blue paint). I based it on pictures of commercial ones.
DeanQ

 

[GlennT]

DeanQ. You sure did a nice job on that lift. A boom pole is ok, but obviously it doesn't lift the harrow at the corners and keep it spread out like your's does. Nice work!

 

[Soundguy]

That was a nice deal he had.... I've been moving mine with the boom pole, and rolling it up.. think I may go agg a rear stiffener pipe.. then a ring to attatch it to the boom pole so it will lift on the corners too!

Soundguy