Latest News From Pasture-Forage

After a year of drought and weather challenges, some cattle farmers are putting in extra cover crops this fall to ease the forage burden. Here’s the top six cover crops cattle farmers are using to stretch fall grazing.

Forage quality decreases in late summer can present challenges for the May calving heifer.

Windrow grazing is a management practice that can significantly reduce harvesting and feeding costs.

Fall aftermath grazing helps cows increase their conditioning and be better prepared for winter and next year’s calving and breeding.

There appears to be considerable interest and excitement about winter wheat grazing this year.

Oklahoma producers interested in dual-purpose or forage-only wheat for winter grazing often prefer to plant winter wheat in early to mid-September if conditions permit.

The 15,000-acre property includes a 3,500-cattle herd with capacity for 10,000 stockers, 2,000-acres of cropland, a private airstrip, oil and gas rights, a family retreat and about 14-miles of Trinity river frontage.

In the 2018 drought forages for cow herds are short. Without rain, pastures didn’t grow and stored hay for winter feeding fell short. But feed options are at hand that were not available before.

The fundamental key to profit and loss, whether from cattle or sheep, is controlling costs.

Sheep and cows are able to coexist.

A very cool and wet August is just the latest turn in a rather unusual year for forage production in Oklahoma.

A new Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication provides information on understanding and controlling parasites in grazing cattle.

Seeding winter annual small grain offers fall grazing for beef cow herds short on grass and hay.

If drought conditions persist, producers could find themselves seeking winter feed options. The program will focus on what producers can do to maximize on rainfall or plan ahead for various scenarios this winter.

Research by the University of Nebraska investigating summer dry lotting of cow-calf pairs has shown seasonal dry lotting can be a cost competitive option to traditional production systems. 

Poisonous plants are responsible for considerable losses in livestock although many cases go unrecognized and undiagnosed due to a lack of knowledge of which plants could be responsible.

Stunted, stemmy pastures unable to support grazing cattle have potential. Depend on fall rains to bring fall regrowth, says University of Missouri Extension forage agronomist Craig Roberts.

Beef producers should be making plans regarding their herds in case drought conditions continue, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Prussic acid and nitrates affect cattle differently.

Several options exist for producers to make up for forage lost to severe spring weather.

Along the Florida Panhandle there are vast areas that can potentially be used with limpograss, especially along the Gulf coast.

The cow-calf business is not a simple business with cookie-cutter solutions.

Flexible grazers could include developing more heifers.

Although many of the pastures are green and lush around the country, this is not the time to forget about trace minerals and their importance to beef production.

A California ranch nearly the size of San Francisco is being offered for $31 million.

Grazing prices for summer 2018 in Western South Dakota for cow/calf pairs are steady to $10.00 higher.

In dry weather with short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows' needs to available grass is to sell cows.

Setting the stocking rate is one of the most important decisions ranchers or land managers make.

With the limited opportunities and short windows many have had to make hay so far this year, some hay may have been made at higher moisture levels than we would like

Shortage of cattle forage forces some Ozark herd owners to chop trees to feed leaves. That method was used in big droughts of the 1930s and 1950s.

Observation can help answer a lot of questions.

As drought conditions worsen through a large portion of the Great Plains, many beef cattle producers are starting to evaluate ways to stretch forage resources potentially in jeopardy.

Grazing fresh young alfalfa can induce bloat in cattle. Bloat can sometimes be fatal to cattle.

Producers may see a reduction in forage production on their pastures and rangeland.

Cattle producers are invited to attend a field day at the Mingo Farm in St. James, Mo., to learn how to use natural shade to improve their beef operation.

When the weather is right and hay fields are mowed there will be many farmers looking over the fence at pastures as an opportunity to make more bales.

Grass tetany typically occurs when cattle are grazing rapidly growing, lush, green grass.

To prevent damaging forage production, grass needs a head start to grow leaves and replace the resources used to grow leaves before grazing.

Planning for the upcoming grazing season is important and should include factors such as estimated stocking rates, time of grazing for specific pastures, as well as contingency plans in the event of dry conditions.

Native warm season grasses are trending among growers looking for forages that will grow during hot, dry conditions.

Cooler temperatures has resulted in slow pasture forage growth and cows are nipping it off faster than it is growing.

In declining cattle markets, the question of “Should I fertilize?” is a subject of much debate.

Especially in times of drought or emergency feeding, producers have to consider which is more efficient to feed the herd: drylot feeding or hauling purchased forage.

Pasture and range conditions opened this season with the U.S. having 20% rated as being in poor and very poor condition.

Cattle grazing is not simply opening a gate and herding a group of cows into the pasture.

Controlling invasive species in hard to reach areas is requiring a new approach to brush control.

The recently-released hay and pasture conditions report doesn’t look particularly good for producers across most of the country.

Before too long, May will be over, and cattle producers in the Plains are concerned about summer grazing prospects.

Forage maturity is the biggest driver of nutritional quality.

We are nearing the end of the time period to control Musk thistles effectively.