– Dr. Chris D. Teutsch, University of Kentucky Research and Education Center at Princeton
Warm-season annual grasses can provide high quality summer grazing. Photo by Mike Estadt
It seems early to be thinking about stockpiling cool-season grasses for winter grazing, but how we manage pastures now can have a profound impact on fall growth. How closely and frequently we graze pastures this summer can either enhance or reduce our ability to stockpile grass this fall. The objective of this article is to provide some tips that will help to keep cool-season pastures healthy this summer.
Fertilize and lime according to soil test. If you have not already done it, take a soil sample and apply any needed phosphorous, potassium, and lime. Avoid summer applications of nitrogen to cool-season pastures. They are generally not economical since cool-season grasses are not actively growing during the summer months. In addition, they can inadvertently weaken cool-season grass stands by promoting the growth of summer weeds.
Do NOT graze cool-season pastures too closely. Grazing pastures closely during the summer months can weaken cool-season grass stands and promote the growth of warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass or crabgrass in these stands. There is nothing wrong with warm-season grasses, but we want to minimize them in pastures that will be stockpiled for winter grazing. Maintaining 4 to 6 inches of residue in cool-season pastures can also moderate soil temperature and conserve soil moisture.
Rest cool-season pastures during the summer month. Resting pastures during the summer months allows them to acclimate to the hot and dry conditions often found in Kentucky. It allows plants to replenish and maintain stored carbohydrates (energy reserves) that can be mobilized in late summer and fall to full rapid growth during the stockpiling period.
Graze warm-season grasses during the summer months. During the summer months, warm-season grasses will produce about twice as much dry matter per unit of water used when compared to cool-season grasses. The beauty of warm-season grasses is that they allow you to get off of cool-season pastures when they are most susceptible to overgrazing.
There are several perennial warm-season grasses that can be used, but in western Kentucky the most productive, persistent, and tolerant to close and frequent grazing is bermudagrass. Johnsongrass is another warm-season perennial grass that can provide high quality summer grazing. I am going on record to make clear that I am NOT encouraging anyone to plant johnsongrass, but sometimes it is just there. Because johnsongrass is extremely palatable, it can be grazed out of pastures if not rotationally stocked.
Warm-season annual grasses like pearl millet, sorghum-sudangrass, sudangrass, and crabgrass can provide high quality summer grazing. The primary disadvantage with summer annual grasses is that they need to be reestablished every year, which costs money and provides the chance for stand failure. The exception to this is crabgrass that develops volunteer stands from seed in the soil. Although most people don’t realize (or want to admit it) crabgrass has saved many cows during dry summers in western Kentucky.
Feed hay in sacrifice area. During the summer months, it is tempting to just open the gates up and let the cattle free range. However, a better plan is to confine animals to the weakest paddock that you have and feed hay. You will likely damage this paddock, but it will allow you to maintain strong and vigorous sod in the others. This sacrifice area can then be renovated in late fall.
When it comes to stockpiling cool-season grasses for winter grazing, what you do during the summer months really does matter! So, as we roll into the hottest and driest part of the grazing season, make sure and give your cool-season pastures a little tend loving care. It will pay big dividends this fall!
More information on stockpiling can be found at your local extension office or by visiting UK Forages Webpage or KYForages YouTube Channel.