FALL PASTURE MANAGEMENT TIPS
Fall is the time to stockpile fescue for late fall and early winter grazing for beef cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.
Steps To Stockpile Fescue:
In late August/Early September, graze or mow off fescue growth that has accumulated during the summer. This allows for fresh growth to be stockpiled which is much more nutritious and palatable for the livestock.
Fertilize in Early to Mid-September with 225 pounds per acre of 33-0-0 (amonium nitrate)
Remove livestock from section to be stockpiled so that the growth can accumulate throughout the fall growing season.
Graze other grasses in the pasture, particularly summer type grasses such as bermuda, crab grass, and dallis grass. The growth of these summer grasses slows considerably as the nights and days cool off from the summer high temperatures.
When all the other pasture grasses are grazed out, usually in November, move the livestock to the accumulated (stockpiled) fescue.
For best results, grazing on stockpiled fescue should be controlled using temporary fencing. A recommended practice is to "strip graze" the fescue. To strip graze, the animals are given a 2-3 foot section of grass each day. This effectively gives approximately 1/3 more grazing because ALL of the forage is eaten because none of it is trampled or deficated on. For more information go to controlled grazing/strip grazing.
Stockpiled fescue has been tested to be as high as 16% protein in the early winter grazing season. As the fescue goes into the winter season, the quality deteriorates somewhat but tests have shown it to be 13% protein even in late December.
As the fall season progresses, I am often asked in October if it is too late to fertilize for stockpiling fescue. Fescue will grow quite well through October and will grow some during November and December depending on how cold it gets. If fertilizing is delayed until October, my recommendation is to cut the nitrogen rate back to 50 lbs/acre. This translates into 150 pounds per acre of 33-0-0 (ammonium nitrate). After Mid-October, it is too late to fertilize for the stockpiling process.
What if my pastures are worn out and consist mostly of bermuda grass, crab grass, and dallis grass?
First of all, the above mentioned grasses are excellent summer grasses! Livestock eat them quite readily and actually prefer these grasses over fescue during the summer. However, as the growth of these grasses slow during the fall and fescue starts growing again, livestock switch their grazing preferences back to fescue.
If this describes your pasture, the following are some management tips:
Soil test to be sure phophorous, lime and other nutrients are not limiting the growth of your grass.
Follow soil test recommendations. Since fall is a major planting time for pastures, getting soil test results back on time is often difficult. The window of opportunity for fall planting is only opened for a short period of time and consequently one may not have the time to wait on soil test results. In the absence of a soil test, apply 1-2 tons of lime per acre and 400-500 pounds of 10-20-20 per acre. Soil tests should still be taken and corrections made when the results are obtained. To avoid this problem in the future, soil tests should be taken in early August.
In Mid-September, plant a rye/ryegrass combination. Rye is a winter annual and provides late fall,late winter,and late spring grazing. Being an annual, it dies out in Mid-June. Incidently, this is when the bermuda, crabgrass, and dallis grass comes back in. For details on planting rye/ryegrass combinations, check out website.
FALL WEED CONTROL
I am often asked about controlling weeds such as spiny amarath, yellow crown beard, and other summer weeds. These weeds should have been sprayed with a herbicide in June. By now, they have already seeded out and their growing season is about to end with the first frost. Our average first frost date is October 15 here in Piedmont area of North Carolina. Therefore, at this time, I recommend bush hogging as low as possible. Make a mental note and scout for these weeds in June and spray at that time. Spraying now will kill the weeds but so will the first frost.
WINTER ANNUAL WEEDS
Winter annual weeds such as tuberous buttercup(that yellow flower that is so prevalent in pastures in April) will soon be making their appearance. The time to control them is in March. Start scouting fields for winter annual weeds in December and make plans to control in early spring when the weather permits herbicide application (when the fields will support the weight of a spray rig and when the temperature is above 50 degrees).
DALLIS GRASS STAGGERS
Dallis grass is a prominent summer grass found in about all pastures in Piedmont North Carolina. Dallis grass produces seed heads that sometimes contain an ergot poisoning that causes a condition known as "dallis grass staggers". As the name implies, cattle stagger around as if they were drunk. If this is observed, remove the cattle from the pasture immediately and put the ones that are staggering in a safe place such as a corral or other area. Generally, if the cattle are removed from the pasture when the symptoms are observed, they recover in about 2-3 days. Most deaths from dallis grass staggers occur from the cattle stumbling down an imbankment or drowning in a body of water. Hence the recommendation to put them in a safe place where they can get to water and feed and be protected from ravines, ponds, etc. For complete information on dallis grass staggers and how to identify dallis grass, go to the website www.ncsu.edu/forage/dallis.htm
SCOUT PASTURES FOR FALL ARMY WORM DAMAGE AND GRUB DAMAGE
There have been reports of fall army worm damage in forage crops. In 2002, we had several pastures destroyed because of fall army worm damage. These worms are appropriately named because they march through a field like an army and consume all of the vegetation as they go.
While scouting fields for fall army worm damage, also look for grub worm damage. Grubs work underground on the roots of forage plants. As a result, there will be large patches of dead grass. To see if it is grub damage, dig a one square foot section of sod and look for the presence of large white worms. If 4 or more grubs are found per square foot, then it will be necessary to treat the pastures.
For detailed information, go to the following links: fall army worms, grubs, or other pasture insects.
Fall Pasture Tips by Paul Walker, Agricultural Extension Agent.
Last updated on August 22, 2005 by Beverly Jenkins, Extension Secretary.
