December 14, 2007

If you have cows, ewes, or other livestock, you likely would like to keep your grazing options available for as much of the year as possible.

Warm-season range grasses provide good summer grazing in some areas, but more green grass would be nice in early spring and for late fall grazing. For lots of livestock producers in many other places, though, smooth bromegrass, wheatgrass, needlegrass, orchardgrass, fescue, and other cool-season grasses grow well in spring and fall but are limited by mid-summer.

To overcome these pasture shortages, you need to have several types of pasture available. For example, warm-season grasses like the bluestems, indiangrass, blue grama, and switchgrass provide excellent summer pasture. Match them up with other pastures or meadows with cool-season grasses for spring and fall grazing to achieve a long grazing season.

To extend grazing even further, plant winter wheat, rye, or triticale next fall to get pasture as early as late March and plant oats in late July or August for grazing through November. Planting turnips can provide pasture into December or even January. And for extra summer pasture, annual forages like sudangrass and pearl millet are excellent. Don't forget that alfalfa and corn also can be grazed effectively throughout much of the year, giving you even more options for timely pasture.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist