September 05, 2002

LINCOLN, Neb. — Producers need to find options now for next year's pastures, a University of Nebraska forage specialist said.

With drought damaging or eliminating many of Nebraska's pastures this summer, producers need to find alternatives to feeding expensive hay that saves money and protects their pastures' health, said Bruce Anderson, NU forage specialist.

"Feeding hay gets to be a real chore, especially in late March, April and May, and it's expensive costing over $1 per day to feed each cow," he said.

In parts of the state that received rains in August, pastures are greening up. That new pasture growth looks tempting. However, this year's drought has weakened grass root systems and it may not be the best long-term strategy to graze right now, the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources specialist said.

Anderson said he knows some cattle producers have little choice but to graze. "Producers should wait as long as they can – until next spring if possible – to graze pastures stricken by drought," he said. "If you are going to graze, do it lightly so plants don't experience extra stress."

To help pastures green up and regrow after a rain, roots provide stored nutrients from previous growth periods. When the roots release these regrowth stimulating nutrients, the plants are weakened even more. However, after a few more weeks as the leaves continue to grow and harvest sunlight, they start to repay the roots for their earlier loan of nutrients, Anderson said.

"It takes many weeks for plants to recover from drought," Anderson said. "Grazing regrowth too early or too severely will prevent roots from recovering from the drought and could even leave them weaker than before the rain. With winter coming, that's a recipe for disaster or at least a slow green up and low growth next year."

Producers also might want to consider planting small grains, such as winter wheat, rye or forage triticale, which can be grazed shortly after warmer weather arrives next spring. These can be planted now through early October for use next spring.

Winter wheat that will be harvested later for grain can't be grazed for very long. Once the plants begin to joint or form nodes above the soil surface in April, grazing must stop or grain yield will be reduced. Rye and triticale work best for forage.

"Cows can be moved out to pasture three to six weeks earlier next spring and save money rather than eating expensive hay," Anderson said. "This will allow you to move your cows and calves away from muddy, less healthy hay yards and out into fresh, open pastures with green, nutritious grass."

To keep grazing until permanent pastures are ready, small grains need to be planted for grazing only. Often, one acre of small grain feeds two or three cows for a month if the grazing doesn't start until plants begin to joint, or more acres can be planted so grazing can begin soon after green up.

For grazing yet this fall, oats may work because they grow fast, survive light frost and are less expensive to plant. Some light grazing might be available from the wheat, rye and triticale this fall, but it will only be a few animal days of grazing per acre, he said.

09/05/02-SA

Bruce Anderson - Ph.D
Agronomy
Professor
(402) 472-6237

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News and Photography
(402) 472-3030

Department: Agronomy & Horticulture