Pasture Rental Rates: Conditions That Affect Prices

Here’s the final article in our series on how to figure Pasture Rental Rates.  If you’ve missed the first three, here they are: How Much Should You Pay to Lease Pasture? Pasture Rental Rates: Doing the Math Part 1 Pasture Rental and Use Rate: Animal Units and Profit Sharing All pasture is not created equal. Some has better forage and some has more fertile soils.  Fences add to the value of a pasture as does other infrastructure. So, as you're doing the math to help you figure out what a good pasture lease rate is, don't forget to make a list of the pros and cons that may add to or subtract from the pasture's value.  Here are some examples to consider: Forage Species and Condition Pluses • Legumes in the pasture are better than just grass. • Tame grasses are often better than native grasses. • Weeds - if your cattle are educated and they eat weeds, a weedy pasture can be a bonus. Weeds are high in protein, are more digestible than grass, and often hold their nutritional value longer through the grazing season. Minuses • Plant diseases reduce forage quality and quantity.