2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Forage Systems for Extending
the Grazing Season
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
Crop and Soil Sciences – UGA
Other Options for
Extended Grazing
Winter Annuals
Forage Distribution in the
Southeast
Forage Distribution in the
Southeast
Bermudagrass
Forage Yield
Forage Yield
Tall Fescue
if Stockpiled
Feb
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
Dec
if Stockpiled
Feb
1
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
Dec
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Winter Annual
Bermudagrass
Grasses
Winter Annual
Bermudagrass
Grasses
Forage Yield
Forage Distribution in the
Southeast
Forage Yield
Forage Distribution in the
Southeast
WA
Clover
Feb
Apr
Crop Residues
Brassicas
Jun
Aug
Oct
Dec
Feb
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
Dec
Stockpiling Tall Fescue or Bermudagrass
“Average” Expectations
Forage Distribution in the
Southeast
INPUTS
•  Moisture
Forage Yield
•  N fertilizer (up to 60#/ac for TF; up to 80# for BG)
•  More than typical grazing management
§  Improved bermudagrass
OUTPUTS
•  1500-3500+ lbs of standing dry matter (DM)/acre.
§  30 – 60 days
Feb
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
Dec
•  TDN levels ranging 55-58%
Stockpiling Tall Fescue or Bermudagrass
Steps Involved
Stockpiling Tall Fescue or Bermudagrass
Steps Involved
1.  Graze or take hay cutting (2-3”)
§  TF: Early to mid-Sept.
§  BG: about 6-8 wks prior to first anticipated frost.
4.  Measure amt. of stockpiled forage that is available.
5.  Take forage samples to determine supplement need.
6.  Only let them have small strips (no more than 2-3
days worth) at a time (frontal grazing).
2.  Add fertilizer like making a hay cutting.
•
•
3.  Don’t allow it to be grazed (if possible) until:
§
§
TF: After Thanksgiving
BG: After first killing frost
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
(more or less, depending on grazing method and weather)
•  CP levels starting in 8 – 12% range, ending below 10%
2
Each 1200 lb cow will need ~35-40 lbs of stockpile/day
Allow access to mineral, ionophore, and supplement as
needed.
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Grazing Methods
Strip-Grazing
Frontal Grazing
Photo: Winter grazing on at the UGA Tifton beef cow pastures.
Winter Annual Forage Quality
Rye
Arrowleaf
Crimson
5000
3500
10-20
8-14
8-14
56-74
55-70
52-70
10,630
7,100
7,110
8-14
50-70
4,850
14-17
14-16
56-75
57-75
3,470
3,570
4500
Annual Ryegrass
Wheat
Rye
3000
Contingent
on Early
Planting Date
and Weather
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
Quality ranges are approximate and are highly dependant
upon forage maturity at grazing/harvest. Yields are 3-yr
averages from GA and AL.
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
On-Farm Trial: Eden Church Rd.
Dairy, Louisville.
GA3 Available As:
RyzUp SmartGrass
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
Oats
4000
(lbs DM/acre
Ryegrass
Oats
Wheat
Annual
Yield*
lbs DM/acre
Forage Yield
Species
Total
Digestible
Crude
Protein
Nutrients
------- % -------
3
Untreated
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Carrollton, GA
Carrollton, GA
Untreated
RyzUp SmartGrass
RyzUp SmartGrass
Untreated
Gainesville, GA
RyzUp SmartGrass
Untreated
Dr. Yoana Newman, UFL
RyzUp Affected Forage Yield
An Early RyzUp Application (1/2/11) and
Harvest 45 d later (2/12/11)
Yield,
lbs of DM/acre
1000
800
@ $7/acre,
The added yield
cost $0.026
b
a
a
3000
a
600
400
200
0
Dr. Yoana Newman, UFL
No RyzUp
2500
Forage Yield,
Lbs of DM/acre
1200
RyzUp
2000
1500
@ $7/acre,
The added yield
cost $0.022
1000
500
0
1X
2X
0
3X
Rate of RyzUp
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
1/21/13
Jeremy Kichler, Macon Co. Extension
4
1/29/13
3/4/13
Date
3/14/13
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Jeremy Kichler, Macon Co. Extension
Jeremy Kichler, Macon Co. Extension
Dr. Dennis Hancock, UGA
Response of Winter Annual Grass* to
Mid-Season Application of
RyZup Smartgrass®
Response of Winter Annual Grass* to
Early Season Application of
RyZup Smartgrass®
Harvest Early Season Applica0on** RyZup None Diff. Harvest Mid-­‐Season Applica0on** RyZup None Diff. Feb. 17, 2012 Feb. 29, 2012 Mar. 15, 2012 Apr. 25, 2012 Season Total 1429 -­‐ 2143 2090 5186 Feb. 17, 2012 Feb. 29, 2012 Mar. 15, 2012 Apr. 25, 2012 Season Total -­‐ 2038 2366 2684 4831 (lbs/acre) 1120 -­‐ 1984 1961 4691 (%) 21.60% -­‐ n.s. n.s. 9.50% * Averaged over rye, ann. ryegrass, and rye+ARG plots.
** Fall application made on Nov. 4, 2012 (plants were at 2-4 leaf stage).
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
(lbs/acre) -­‐ 1990 2286 2366 4454 * Averaged over rye, ann. ryegrass, and rye+ARG plots.
** Winter application made on Feb. 29, 2012.
5
(%) -­‐ n.s. n.s. 11.80% n.s. 2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Response of Winter Annual Grass* to
Early and Mid-Season Application of
RyZup Smartgrass®
Harvest Early + Mid-­‐Season Applica0on** RyZup None Diff. Feb. 17, 2012 Feb. 29, 2012 Mar. 15, 2012 Apr. 25, 2012 Season Total 1390 -­‐ 2217 2300 5445 (lbs/acre) 1006 -­‐ 1890 1796 4357 Possible Negatives to Using
GAs for Forage Management
Matthew et al., 2009 (NZ J. Ag Res.):
•  Really only works if inducing the plant to
grow when it wouldn’t ordinarily (e.g., winter,
late fall)
(%) 27.6% -­‐ n.s. 21.9% 20.0% §  No benefit to adding if plant is already growing at
max growth rate.
•  Not all grass species respond similarly
§  Small grains > ann. ryegrass > tall fescue
•  Reduces nodulation in legumes
* Averaged over rye, ann. ryegrass, and rye+ARG plots.
** Fall application made on Nov. 4, 2012 (plants were at 2-4 leaf stage), winter
application made on Feb. 29, 2012.
Possible Negatives to Using
GAs for Forage Management
Matthew et al., 2009 (NZ J. Ag Res.):
•  Yield lag in later cuttings (at very high rates)
•  Reduction in root mass (at very high rates)
•  Reduction in tiller number (at very high rates)
•  No significant change in forage quality
observed, but possible?
•  Could increase need for moisture and N.
Photo: Root ball of annual ryegrass at Greenview Farms, Wayne Co., GA.
Scanning electron micrograph of a rye-grass
root with root hair penetrating through soil
aggregates (picture credit: Claire Chenu.
Published in Rasse et al., 2005. Plant and Soil
269:341–356).
Improvement in soil OM in 3 paddocks
located in a pasture-based dairy in
Wrens, GA. (2007-2009)
Paddock Ini0al 1 year 2 years 3 years P4 P8 P14 Avg. -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ Soil Organic Ma5er, % -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ 1.08 1.15 1.25 2.20 1.01 1.17 1.59 2.18 1.14 1.63 1.86 2.00 1.07 1.32 1.57 2.13 3 years after grazing system started, averaging an
inc. in soil OM of 0.35 percentage points per year!!!
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
6
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Impact of Pasture-Based
Livestock on Soil Carbon (Soil OM)
Impact of Pasture-Based
Livestock on Soil Carbon (Soil OM)
7.1 Mg C ha-­‐1 yr-­‐1 r2 = 0.93 p= 0.0009 Pasture-­‐Based Dairying 7.1 Benefits of Adding Legumes
A valuable source of N (time-released).
Species
Annual lbs
N value at
(N/acre) $0.75/lb. of N
Alfalfa
200-300
$150-225
Red clover
100-200
$75-150
White clover
100-150
50-150
$75-113
$38-113
Annual clover
Forage Turnips
Brassicas
(Turnips, Rape, Swedes, Hybrids)
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
7
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Forage Turnips
Forage Turnips
Grazing Crop Residue
•
Very inexpensive feed
•
Can last for several days
§
•
•
Grazing Cotton Residue
Frontal grazing makes for
efficient utilization
Corn residue: 1 cow/acre
for 60-100 days
Cotton residue: 1 cow/
acre for 30-35 days
Standing Mowed
Residue Residue
1,369
1,354
Item
Initial weight, lb.
Hay
1,354
Final weight, lb.
1,410
1,424
1,386
Weight gain, lb.
56
55
32
Hay fed, lb/day
27.0
Hay savings, $/day*
----
1.3
$0.90
10.7
$0.58
* Hay valued at $70/dry ton. 1 cow/acre for 44 days. Data from Plains, GA.
www.georgiaforages.com Grazing Crop Residue
•
Check pesticide labels
•
Check fence rows and
weed species for
poisonous plants
•
No difference in animal
performance between Bt
and non-Bt crops.
GeorgiaForages.com Email Updates Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
8
2014 Forage Conference @ GCA Convention
Forage Systems for
Extending the Grazing Season
Questions?
BENEFITS:
•  Fast establishing, winter hardy forage crop.
•  Early planted (late summer-early fall)
•  Ready to graze after 60-120 d.
•  Very high quality
§  TDN: 65-80% (tops); 75-85% (bulbs)
§  CP: 15-25% (tops); 9-16% (bulbs)
§  Rapid passage rate. Pair with high fiber source.
www.georgiaforages.com
1-800-ASK-UGA1
•  High weight gains (1.8 – 2.6 lbs/hd/d)
Photo credit: Philip Brown, USDA-NRCS Georgia
BENEFITS:
•  Aggressive growth competitive with weeds
•  Tap root of some brassicas can help break
through compaction or pans
•  Naturally contain glucosinolates
§
§
§
§
CHALLENGES:
•  Requires pH of 5.5-6.8 and well-drained soil.
•  Not for overseeding! Does not tolerate much
residue and tolerates NO competition from sod.
Wards off many insect pests
Inhibits take-all disease (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici)
Natural nematicide (“biofumigant”)
Nitrification inhibitor
•  Great renovation tool!
CHALLENGES:
•  Animal health issues
Photo credit: Philip Brown, USDA-NRCS Georgia
Photo credit: Philip Brown, USDA-NRCS Georgia
N Fertility
•  Turnips and hybrids and forage rape
(usually because of sharp change in diet)
§  High in S, so polioencephalomalacia can develop
§  Pure brassica diet can lead to hemolytic anemia/goiter
§  Glucosinolates can cause metabolic problems and taint
milk (possibly meat?).
Ø Forage types are generally low
§  40-50 lbs at planting, 30-40 lbs after first grazing
•  Kale and Swedes
§  Up to 60 lbs at planting, 30-60 lbs 10-12 weeks after
planting (if good grazing potential)
P & K Fertility
•  Based on soil test recommendations
•  Kale and swede use up to 2x the P & K of others
Photo credit: Philip Brown, USDA-NRCS Georgia
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
UGA Extension
Photo credit: Philip Brown, USDA-NRCS Georgia
9