Spring Turn-Out to Pasture
As spring green-up begins, producers may feel the urge to turn animals out to pasture. But the right time to start grazing often comes later than we might think. Before turnout, we need to answer two key questions: when should we start grazing, and which pastures should be grazed first?
The amount of grass growth by a given date varies from year to year depending on spring temperatures and precipitation. That is why basing turnout on a calendar date rarely works well. Initial spring growth comes from energy reserves stored in the roots and crowns of the grass plant. Grazing too soon can deplete those reserves and reduce production because not enough leaf area is present to fully support photosynthesis and regrowth. To give plants time to recover, wait until cool-season grasses reach at least the 3- to 4-leaf stage before grazing begins, whether in mixed pastures or straight cool-season stands.
This year, with a warmer-than-average spring and dry conditions since last fall, delaying turnout — if possible — is recommended. This will allow grass plants to maximize growth given current soil moisture conditions and result in greater season-long production.
Which pastures are grazed first matters too. Changing the grazing sequence from year to year helps improve plant vigor by avoiding repeated stress at the same time each year. This is especially critical for native range or mixed pastures. Introduced grasses like crested wheatgrass and smooth brome can handle early-season grazing pressure better, so grazing them first is often a good strategy. This allows more time before turnout on native pastures.
This spring, patience at turnout may be one of the best ways to protect pasture health and make the most of the grass you have.
Double Cropping Forages
There are many producers looking at looking at ways to grow more forage for hay or pasture. Double cropping annual forages on irrigated cropland can be an option. With timely and adequate moisture, this can also be successful dryland as well.
Successful double cropping of annual forages requires good planning and timely operations. A common combination includes a cool-season winter annual like rye, triticale or wheat that is currently being grazed or will be hayed in May or June, followed by the planting of a warm-season annual forage. Similarly, something like oats that was planted this spring is followed by a warm-season annual.
If grazing is planned as the primary use of the warm-season annual, then sudangrass or pearl millets are good choices. With adequate moisture, the summer annual grass will be ready to graze in 45 to 50 days and may last through September.
Another strategy is to plant the warm-season annual grasses first in mid- to late May. Graze portions of them out in August, then plant oats or turnips or both for late fall and winter grazing. When planting oats or any other cool-season for fall forage, remember that production will be reduced if planting is delayed into later August or early September.
Of course, adequate moisture or irrigation is needed for these options to produce both double crops. Thus, it is wise to have a nearby pasture where animals can be placed and fed temporarily if extra time is needed to grow sufficient forage for grazing.
Grazing Spring Cereal Grains
Grazing winter annuals such rye, winter wheat or triticale commonly begins in April. All three of these forages can be very high in quality and reduce the need for feeding expensive hay while allowing additional time for spring growth of our perennial summer pastures.
Timing grazing should depend plant growth, not a specific date. Begin grazing when the plants are about 5 to 6 inches tall and manage to keep the maximum height at 8 to 10 inches. A good starting point is about 0.5 cow or 1 stocker calf per acre in early spring and increasing from there. Rotational grazing with higher stocking densities can assist with keeping the plant maturity more uniform and reduce selective grazing. Look ahead one or two pastures and move based on how the plants are recovering in those pastures. These forages grow and recover from grazing fast.
The most common mistake when grazing spring small cereals is letting the grass get ahead of the cattle. It is important to increase stocking density as the spring progresses to ensure grazing can keep up with the rapid forage growth. This can be achieved by either adding more cattle or reducing the number of acres being grazed.
Like most cool-season grasses in early spring, small cereal forages are also high in potassium. This means there is a need to provide supplemental magnesium as potassium interferes with magnesium availability to the animal. A free choice mineral with a targeted 4 oz per day intake should contain at least 10% magnesium to prevent grass tetany in lactating cows and 5% magnesium to increase gains in stocker calves.
