What should you be doing in terms of forage management this time of year? According to Myron Hartzell, Natural Resources Conservation Service grassland specialist, you should be planning for the upcoming year.
“Start by asking yourself a series of questions. Where am I short on forages- in the winter or summer? What are the appropriate methods to address this problem? What practices are the most economical?” stated Hartzell.
It is suggested you address winter management first, then summer and finally plan spring. After you have planned out the management practices that will get you through non-growing months then start putting the plan into action.
“First, look at how you can utilize your winter forages better. Start here because this is the highest overall feeding cost. Utilizing what forages you already have can help reduce the usage of hay and supplements. Also, split a field with high tensile electric fence to prolong the grazing days on pasture.
For May cool season grass hay cuttings producers should fertilize in the spring, but most pasture fertilizing can be done in mid August to enhance fall growth. “Don’t wait for the first fall rain to fertilize. The only thing harder than waiting for the first rain is waiting for the second rain to take it into the root zone,” Hartzell explained.
Before fertilizing, take a current soil test. “You’ll get more out of your nutrient dollar if you have it tested rather than just guessing,” added Hartzell.
Grasslands should be tested every four years. “It is a lot of work to take an accurate representative sample of your field but it will pay off in the long run,” Hartzell continued. “It costs the same whether you take a good accurate sampling or if you take a bad sampling.”
Secondly, look to fill in the summer gap with such things as planting warm season grasses,” stated Hartzell. Warm season grasses should be planted in mid April to mid June at 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Dormant plantings may be made after the first of December if the soil has thoroughly cooled. “Warm season grasses hit optimal growth at 90 degrees whereas cool season grasses hit optimal growth at 70 degrees,” explained Hartzell. Native warm season grasses tend to last longer going into a drought because they have a deeper root system. “Warm season grasses can help balance the total year supply of forage,” continued Hartzell.
When it comes to good forage management Hartzell concluded, “Start by doing a little bit here and there – you don’t have to go at it whole hog. I challenge producers to apply good practices to one field. Once you do you’ll be impressed with the results if you follow the basic principles.”
For more information on implementing good forage management on your farm contact your local NRCS office.
