Planning Summer Grazing
While we are still just in late winter, it is never too early to start thinking about the coming spring and summer’s grazing and forage plans. Last fall and this winter has been dry, leaving most parts of the state in some level of drought. While we do not know for certain how much moisture lies ahead, long-term forecasts into this spring and summer suggest the possibility of drier than normal conditions.
With the possibility of droughty conditions for the coming season, an important first step is to develop or adjust a good forage and grazing drought plan for your operation. Some components of this might include things like stocking rates, turnout dates to summer pastures, purchasing any supplemental hay or feed, securing additional pasture, fertilizer decisions on introduced grass pastures, or seeding of any annual forages.
For spring or cool-season annual forages, the recommended planting period of late March to early April will be here soon. Forages would include things like oats, spring barley, spring triticale and field peas. With that planting date, these would provide grazing beginning in late May through early July.
For the summer annual forages, the planting period is typically late May and on into the summer months. This would include things like forage sorghum, sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, pearl millet and foxtail millet. Additionally, other species or legumes that are typical of some cover crop mixes could be part of the package as well. With a late May or early June planting of a summer annual, grazing should be available in July.
Planning ahead can help make your forage season run smoothly.
Controlling Winter Annual Weeds
Now is the time to control winter annual weeds in alfalfa. Thin field stands combined with open soil surfaces and adequate moisture can result in high weed pressure. So, prior to alfalfa shoot green-up or dormancy break scout fields for early green winter annual weed patches of pennycress, downy brome, mustards, cheatgrass and shepherd’s purse. Left unchecked, these weeds can lower first cutting hay yield, quality and palatability. Also, excessive weeds can extend dry-down and lengthen harvest time.
However, before applying any herbicide, scout to determine current and potential weed pressure. Verify that fields have enough weeds to justify herbicide spray applications and then determine the best management options.
Winter annual weeds can grow during cooler spring temperatures better than alfalfa, so dormant alfalfa herbicides such as MCPA Amine, metribuzin (Sencor®), and Gramoxone® can still be applied. Pre-emergent herbicides such as Warrant®, Chateau® and Prowl H2O® can be applied soon after green-up, but these chemicals will not control weeds which have already germinated. Aim® herbicide will control early growing broadleaf weeds but not control grassy weeds. Poast® herbicide will control most growing weedy grasses but not downy brome. Pursuit® and Raptor® herbicides control growing henbit well during early alfalfa green-up, but control weeds best when air temperatures are warmer. Glyphosate products like Roundup Weathermax®/Powermax® will control growing weeds with warmer temperatures too but must be used with Roundup-Tolerant varieties.
Other products for new alfalfa fields include Arrow®, Select Max®, Velpar, Karmex®, Sinbar®, Pursuit, Butyrac® and Raptor®. Our UNL Extension publication EC 130, Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska, may provide additional information, or view more on alfalfa research on CropWatch.
Winter annuals can quickly establish in hay fields, so early season weed control is important for quality hay production. Timing is essential, so control winter annuals before alfalfa breaks dormancy and before weeds render economic losses.
