Andrew McCrea believes that pastureland demands frequent scouting and fine-tuning management strategies throughout the growing season to reach its full potential — just like a growing crop.
Throughout the year, 400- to 500-pound stocker calves arrive at the McCrea family farm located about an hour northeast of St. Joseph, Missouri. The calves spend about five months grazing bluegrass and fescue pastures, and the cycle repeats itself after a month of pasture rest.
“We have 12 different pastures, and we try to think of those pastures as 12 different fields — just like you would when growing corn or soybeans,” McCrea says.
Spring is the perfect time to evaluate each pasture and determine what is needed to maximize forage production.
“What can we do to grow grass in that pasture quickly?” McCrea asks. “We need to think about a weed control strategy that makes sense for each unique pasture, and we also need to evaluate soil fertility.”
He uses results from soil sampling, assesses any spring-emerging weed populations and works closely with his local Corteva Agriscience Range & Pasture Specialist to determine the right products and application timing for each of his 12 pastures.
In the spring, McCrea uses a mix of products, such as UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed, DuraCor® herbicide and, most recently, NovaGraz™️ herbicide. Some pastures get sprayed every year, while others may be sprayed every other year.
“Each pasture is a little different. If we need better fertility and weed control on a certain pasture, we’ll start with UltiGraz early in the season,” McCrea says. “DuraCor and NovaGraz herbicides are used for weed control later in the season, and NovaGraz makes an especially great option in our pastures containing annual lespedeza.”
Keep reading to learn more about products the McCreas use to start the grazing season off strong at Corteva.us/McCreaSpring25
™ ® ℠ Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Under normal field conditions, DuraCor® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. Consult the label for full details. White clover and annual lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) but recover. DuraCor and NovaGraz™ are not registered for sale or use in all states. UltiGraz℠ with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva. 027517 BR (03/25) CARP5RANG055
