How to Plant Buffalo Grass for a Goat Pasture

Find the right area for your goat pasture and fill it with goat-friendly plants. Goats prefer land with some hills and roughness to it over areas that are completely flat. To keep your goats happy, make sure there are small trees and shrubs, since goats like to graze on leaves as well as grass. Plant woody perennials such as small deciduous trees, black locust and honeysuckles along with some broadleaf plants such as horseweed and plantain. This gives your goat an array of dietary options.

Treat the buffalo grass seeds chemically to reduce the number of dormant seeds. Some chemical treatments provide an applicator that drips the liquid on top of seeds. Other treatments need only be mixed with the grass seed in a container. After mixing, allow the seeds to air dry. Follow the directions according to your brand and type of treatment. Seeds not treated have a 20 percent germination rate while the treated seeds' germination rate hits 80 percent.

Kill weeds and other non wanted vegetation that will compete with grass seed for nutrients in the soil. Mix the concentrated herbicide with water according to the directions on the label. Pour the mix into a garden sprayer and spray the unwanted vegetation. Spray on a calm day when there is no chance of rain. The weeds should begin to dry up with 24 hours. If necessary, apply another application to any remaining weeds. Be sure to read all warnings and follow all directions printed on the bottle.

Till the top 4 to 6 inches of soil using a rototiller. Rototillers can be purchased or rented at home improvement stores or equipment rental centers. Once tilled, use a rake and smooth out the soil breaking up any large pieces of sod.

Moisten the newly titled soil with water. Make sure the soil is moist not soggy.

Spread grass seed evenly over the soil and plant them no more then 1/2 inch deep. The grass seed should be distributed evenly by hand or with a spreader. A seeding rate of 2 to 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet is recommended.

Water the seeds every day the first week, then every other day the second week and every third day the next week. Hydration is important for the germinating seeds. When watering, do not water to the point of runoff. You want the soil to stay moist, not soggy. The seeds need around 4 to 6 inches of water a week while germinating. After the seeds have sprouted, buffalo grass needs only about 2 inches of water a week.