Pasture

Be Mindful of Fall Armyworm, Which Could Get Interesting

– Kelley Tilmon, Amy Raudenbush, Andy Michel, James Morris, and Curtis Young, CCA, OSU Extension

Be aware of feeding damage this fall, especially forage crop fields. Photo by James Morris, OSU Extension

Since the extremely unusual fall armyworm outbreak of 2021 which affected forage including alfalfa and sorghum sudangrass, and turf, we have instituted a monitoring program in 14 Ohio counties. Though it’s too early to declare an outbreak, we’re seeing higher numbers in the traps than typical for the last couple of years (see Lep Monitoring report in this newsletter for more details). These moths will lay eggs which will hatch into the first instar, the smallest caterpillars which will grow as they feed. Control is easiest in younger instars. Fall armyworm migrates into Ohio during the latter part of summer and could cause problems into late summer. Unlike the true armyworm that only feeds on grasses (i.e., corn, wheat, forage grasses), the fall armyworm has well over 100 different types of plants upon which it feeds including many grasses but also alfalfa, soybeans, beets, cabbage, peanuts, onion, cotton, pasture grasses, millet, tomato, and . . .

Continue reading Be Mindful of Fall Armyworm, Which Could Get Interesting

Managing Cool-Season Pastures for Enhanced Fall Growth

– 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 Continue reading Managing Cool-Season Pastures for Enhanced Fall Growth →

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What defines a weed?

– Victor Shelton, Retired NRCS Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

Ironweed is a pasture weed but is also a good pollinator plant.

What defines a weed?  The most fitting definition is simply a plant out of place.  For instance, pigweed in a garden is typically unwanted and considered out of place.  Similarly, a volunteer corn plant in a soybean field might be seen as a weed, since it disrupts the desired crop.  In a pasture setting, defining a weed can be nuanced, often requiring careful consideration of its impact on the ecosystem, its usefulness, desirability of the livestock present, and its compatibility with desired vegetation.

A weed can sometimes be beneficial to a pasture system when it aligns with the grazing preferences of livestock and does not overly compete with other desirable perennial vegetation.  For instance, certain weeds may provide additional forage options during different seasons or conditions, supplementing the diet of grazing animals.  Moreover, they can contribute to Continue reading What defines a weed? →

Mechanically Controlling Weeds in Pastures

– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman)

Maintaining high-quality pastures is crucial for Ohio’s beef producers. Weeds compete with forages for nutrients, water, and sunlight, potentially lowering the quality and quantity of the forage available to grazing livestock. Weeds can significantly impact pasture quality and even cause livestock health issues if poisonous species are consumed. Traditional weed control methods include mechanical (mowing), chemical, burning, and biological controls. In 2021 we finished a three-year study focused on mechanical mowing, aiming to understand how different mowing schedules impact weed and forage growth.

In this project we had eight different treatments and were replicated four times. Treatments consisted of a Control (no mowing), mowing one time in June, July, August, September, mowing twice in June/August, July/September and mowing monthly June to September. Each plot was 15×20 feet with a one-foot border. Forage and weed samples were collected at the beginning of each month from June to September. Cattle grazed the paddock between sample collections, and plots were mowed to a height of four inches after grazing. Weights of dry matter (DM) from weeds and forages were recorded to compare the impact of different mowing schedules.

The following table shows the results for the three year average Dry Matter (DM) for forages and weeds.

Monthly mowing significantly reduced weed presence but is not Continue reading Mechanically Controlling Weeds in Pastures →

Knapweed in Bloom Amidst Drought

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Don’t confuse knapweed (bottom) with chicory (top).

Driving the roads of Southeast Ohio last week was like getting a “while you were out” memo after returning from a week in Texas. The difference a week can make in the landscape can be drastic. The impacts of severe drought are visible, and we are all wishing for more rain. Hopefully this week will bring some relief and we’ll see pastures, hayfields, and lawns green up again soon.

Nothing lasts forever, but even when conditions improve, the impacts of this dry season will continue to cause a ripple of impacts over the next six months. As many livestock producers are already dipping into their hay supplies to supplement poor pasture conditions and second cutting is skimpy, I am concerned about what will happen with our winter hay supplies. If you are looking for resources pertaining to drought, visit https://go.osu.edu/ohiodrought for the latest updates on drought conditions in Ohio and click on the tabs pertaining to your areas of interest to find suggestions for coping with the stress drought can cause.

One plant that doesn’t seem phased by drought is our dreaded foe- Spotted Knapweed. The magenta blossoms it Continue reading Knapweed in Bloom Amidst Drought →

Pasture and Rangeland Condition Update

– Will Secor, Assistant Professor & Extension Livestock Economist, Masters of Agribusiness (MAB) Coordinator, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Georgia

Pasture and rangeland conditions remain close to year-ago levels

Pasture and rangeland conditions in the U.S. remain close to year-ago levels this week. Approximately 30 percent of pasture and rangeland are in poor to very-poor conditions. However, these conditions are not uniform across the U.S. Drought gripped the Southeast U.S. starting in June and has continued into July. More than 60 percent of the Southeast (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, and VA) is experiencing drought. These drought conditions have hurt pasture and rangeland conditions in the Southeast. According to the USDA in mid-July, about 30 percent of the pasture in the Southeast (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) are in poor or very poor condition.

Some drought conditions exist in other areas of the country, as well, including approximately half of Texas, 60 percent of Oklahoma, 70 percent of Tennessee, and over 90 percent of Wyoming and Montana. Approximately 25 percent of Oklahoma and Texas pasture and rangelands are in poor or Continue reading Pasture and Rangeland Condition Update →

The Summer Grazing Plan

– Clif Little, OSU Extension Educator Agriculture and Natural Resources, Guernsey County

A summer annual can reduce grazing pressure during a summer slump.

Successful grazers have a plan for all situations. Let us look at an inevitable period and discuss some management options. Farms have different management options based on resources, unique to each grazing operation.

Each summer brings slowed forage growth. Temperature, rainfall, grazing management, and forage species all influence the extent of forage regrowth during the summer. One should strive to maintain proper grazing heights throughout the season, especially during dry periods. Grazing height is of utmost importance in terms of reducing plant stress, maintaining forage species diversity, productivity and maximizing livestock forage consumption. A post grazing residual plant height of 3 inches will reduce the negative affects hot and dry weather can have on cool season perennial grass. Grazing too close during the summer will slow pasture recovery when rain and cooler weather returns. Furthermore, animals grazing endophyte infected tall fescue too close in the heat of the summer, may Continue reading The Summer Grazing Plan →

Drought Leading to Deteriorating Pasture Conditions in Southeast

– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

The percentage of Southeast pasture that is rated as poor or very poor is just over 30 percent according to the latest reports by USDA-NASS. This is up sharply from a month ago when less than 10 percent of pasture was rated poor or very poor. The 5-year average for the region at this time of year is around 10 percent.

The Southeast region includes AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV. There is variation within the region as the drought map below shows. The percentage of pasture rated poor or very poor is greater than Continue reading Drought Leading to Deteriorating Pasture Conditions in Southeast →

Managing Nitrates and Prussic Acid in Forages

– Dr. Chris D. Teutsch, University of Kentucky Research and Education Center at Princeton

Sorghum species can accumulate both nitrates and prussic acid.

Nitrates can accumulate to toxic levels in commonly grown forages. This most often occurs when heavy nitrogen fertilization is followed by drought. Nitrates are taken up by the plant, but not utilized since plant growth is restricted by the drought. Any factor that slows plant growth in combination with heavy nitrogen fertilization can result in nitrate accumulation. Some plants tend to accumulate nitrates at greater rate; these include, but are not limited to commonly used summer annual grasses, corn, crabgrass, small grains, annual ryegrass, bermudagrass, Johnsongrass, tall fescue, and some annual and perennial weeds commonly found in pastures and hayfields.

In contrast to nitrates, prussic acid or hydrogen cyanide can be formed in commonly used sorghum species such as forage sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, sudangrass, and Johnsongrass. Under normal conditions these forages contain little free cyanide. However, when freezing, drought stress, wilting, or mechanical injury damages plant tissue, an enzymatic reaction occurs and free cyanide is produced. Being aware of the factors that Continue reading Managing Nitrates and Prussic Acid in Forages →

Grazing Management Lunch and Learn: Stockpiling Forages

Join us on-line Wednesday, July 24.

Successful stockpiling is a result of planning, timing, and a little luck. Stockpiled grazing is a management strategy that will help producers extend the grazing season. Using stockpiled forages can be a cost-effective way to feed beef cattle and sheep during the fall and winter months. In addition to lowering feed costs, it reduces manure handling costs as well.

You’re invited to join the Ohio Department of Agriculture for their Grazing management Lunch and Learn Series on-line next Wednesday, July 24 beginning at 12:15.  Bob Hendershot, retired NRCS State Grazing Specialist will be featured.

Find more detail and registration information linked here or contact Jarrod Hittle.