– Jason Jones, Ohio Grasslands & Grazing Coordinator, Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever
A 4-month-old stand of big bluestem and indiangrass.
Native warm season grass forages are growing in popularity across the Midwest and South in recent years. Native warm season grasses (NWSG) include species like switchgrass, indiangrass, big bluestem, eastern gamagrass, and little bluestem. They are well adapted to our climate and yield an enormous amount of forage throughout the summer months (June-August). The timing is convenient to many grazing operations in Ohio, because it compliments existing cool season grass forages. Cool season grasses are active in the spring and fall but experience a deficit in the summer (referred to as the summer slump). Converting a percentage of pasture ground to NWSG is an economic win, because native grasses are at their optimum growth June through September. NWSG can offset the summer slump and allow cool season forages, like fescue, to be stockpiled for more grazing days.
In addition to the rapid forage production and high yields, one of the greatest advantages of native grasses is the lack of fertilizer needed to produce those high yields. NWSG are very long lived and have massive root systems – these adaptations allow them to be dependable producers year after year without expensive inputs. Many producers who have planted NWSG consider it to be a great long-term investment for their farm.
The most common myth I hear amongst livestock producers is that NWSG take three to five years to establish. After working on many projects throughout the state, I have found this not to be true at all. In fact, most producers are growing good stands of NWSG that can be grazed within one year after planting. See examples above and below.
NWSG seedings today use well-developed preemergent herbicides, grazing varieties of NWSG, and post seeding maintenance to develop a dense stand much more quickly. Furthermore, we understand the ecology of these grasses much better to advance seedings and maintain them with suitable grazing management. The take home message is – if producers are interested in grazing native warm season grasses, they can have a good stand within a year of seeding. Although offsetting grazing on newly seeded acres still presents a challenge, it is much more achievable than once thought.
Farm bill conservation programs are a great way to reduce economic risk and receive detailed technical and financial assistance on new NWSG seedings. Follow this link to find your local USDA Service Center. Furthermore, USDA’s Working Lands for Wildlife project in Ohio is located in 31 southern Ohio Counties, and funds conversions of cool season grasses to native warm season grasses.
If you are interested in planting NWSG, I suggest getting out in the field on a working farm using them. The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is hosting a field day at their fields of NWSG that get hayed annually. It would be a great opportunity for producers to come and learn how you can incorporate NWSG on your farm. This event is being hosted by The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and Ohio State University Extension on Thursday, June 22nd, 6:00 – 8:30pm at the Mound City Group Visitor Center, 16062 State Route 104, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601.
This is a one-year-old stand of big bluestem and indiangrass. The photo was taken in June in western Ohio.
This image is a 5-month-old stand of big bluestem, indiangrass, and little bluestem. This photo was taken during a grazing workshop in August of the first growing season in southern Ohio.