Crabgrass as summer annual

[CJohnson]

I planted some sorghum-sudan in a bottom field that was planted last winter in Oats / ryegrass. A good bit of crabgrass volunteered in it, especially where the drill skipped or stand was light. The cattle seem to prefer grazing it over the S-S. I got to thinking, maybe I would get along better by planting Red River Crabgrass instead of SS. I would not have to worry about nitrates. I do not plan on cutting it for hay, just grazing. I could let it seed so it would come back the next year (save $). Would turn it under late summer / early fall to plant Oats again. Anybody done this? What would the benefits of this vs. SS be? I cannot use weed spray because of how I market my cattle. Would I get a good enough stand to choke out the goatweeds the way SS does? Which would have better ADG with yearlings? Soil is a heavier bottom type next to a creek.

 

[Anonymous]

Crabgrass averages 15% protein and is pretty
Palatable once they get used to it. It was originally
Brought to the us as a summer forage for cattle. Can't remember from where though.
If youre gonna have a weed, it's a good one to have

 

[Bigfoot]

We finally got a little rain, I had started feeding hay. My cattle are living on vulunteer crabgrass. I am afraid the drought got all my fescue. If it comes back at all it will be from the roots. I planted red river crabgrass in 2007. I either got a poor stand, or could not tell it from our standard volunteer variety that year. To me it was not worth planting. My volunteer crabgrass wont stop me from having to sell of a bunch of cows, but it will postpone the inevitable. I should probably post a picture of it. I have never seen it come in like this before. I am attempting to mob graze it, in hopes of it getting me through till weaning time.

 

[Banjo]

I planted some sorghum-sudan in a bottom field that was planted last winter in Oats / ryegrass. A good bit of crabgrass volunteered in it, especially where the drill skipped or stand was light. The cattle seem to prefer grazing it over the S-S. I got to thinking, maybe I would get along better by planting Red River Crabgrass instead of SS. I would not have to worry about nitrates. I do not plan on cutting it for hay, just grazing. I could let it seed so it would come back the next year (save $). Would turn it under late summer / early fall to plant Oats again. Anybody done this? What would the benefits of this vs. SS be? I cannot use weed spray because of how I market my cattle. Would I get a good enough stand to choke out the goatweeds the way SS does? Which would have better ADG with yearlings? Soil is a heavier bottom type next to a creek.

Here is what I have done before. Plow in the spring...disk/harrow what ever and sow some RedRiverCrabgrass then plant either some open-pollinated corn or pearl millet. You won't have to fertilize, the OP corn and millet will grow without it for a year or two unlike GMO corn. Plowing stimulates biological activity somewhat like ferttilize does but in a different way. After grazing in the fall no-till your Oats, but i would consider Graze Rye and Ryegrass. I did this for a few years, till I got tired of all the work and figured out I would just as much ahead getting it into a good permanent grass rotating it.

 

[Bigfoot]

I spent some time reading about crabgrass. It was introduced to th US in 1849 as a forage. I thought it was like poor people and pestilence, just always been here. One plant can make 150,000 seeds. No wonder it spreads. Seems like I remember the seed guy telling me there was no real difference in red river and normal crabgrass. I think he recommended 4 or 5 pounds to the acre. It's been a long time ago since I planted it. He gave me the seed even paid the shipping hopeing it would catch on in my area. I wish I had tried it one more year. I've been hunting a warm season that would work for me for a long time. It might have been the one.

 

[pdfangus]

no need to spray crab grass....
frost will be a natural herbicide....
just no till your cool season crop I think you said oats, right into it.
the crab grass will seed and return on its own.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Chris

Here's an excellent source of crabgrass info:

http://www.redrivercrabgrass.com/factsheets.html

Hope this is helpful.

 

[1982vett]

I planted some sorghum-sudan in a bottom field that was planted last winter in Oats / ryegrass. A good bit of crabgrass volunteered in it, especially where the drill skipped or stand was light. The cattle seem to prefer grazing it over the S-S. I got to thinking, maybe I would get along better by planting Red River Crabgrass instead of SS. I would not have to worry about nitrates. I do not plan on cutting it for hay, just grazing. I could let it seed so it would come back the next year (save $). Would turn it under late summer / early fall to plant Oats again. Anybody done this? What would the benefits of this vs. SS be? I cannot use weed spray because of how I market my cattle. Would I get a good enough stand to choke out the goatweeds the way SS does? Which would have better ADG with yearlings? Soil is a heavier bottom type next to a creek.

no need to spray crab grass....
frost will be a natural herbicide....
just no till your cool season crop I think you said oats, right into it.
the crab grass will seed and return on its own.

Remember climate differences.............sometimes crabgrass can still be going strong in November in my part of Texas...but it could be made to work. Certainly can with ryegrass for Spring useage, maybe no so much for Fall grazing of oats.

 

[pdfangus]

yeah.....
after I hit send I wondered if yall know what frost is......

 

[Douglas]

I have been double cropping Red River for several years. For it to work well you need to renovate from time to time. Meaning a light discing every year for best performance. I do it in the fall before rye/ryegrass. My crimson clover now voluteers every year as well, and the renovation helps there i think too. I lightly disc, broadcast seed and drag.
You need to let the crabgrass go to seed every year as well for best performance. Crabgrass needs moisture. Crabgrass performs better after cereal rye than ryegrass, as the ryegrass holds up longer and delays crabgrass start. It will not do much of anything in a drought. When you have a dry spell you will wish you have bermuda. I don't count on it for the majority of my summer grazing. Having said all that, it is the highest quality annual forage you can grow in the summer . For stockers or replacements it is very good if properly fertilized. In a wet year you can't keep up with it. In my system i use an August burndown then plant winter annuals in Sept. It can be done without the burndow and a little more discing. There is a guy here in NC the markets grass fed cattle on crabgrass & Marshall ryegrass only. Baldwin farms i think.

 

[Douglas]

http://hayandforage.com/hay/converting- ... -crabgrass

How the baldwins do it.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

You better see if any seed is available before you get set on seeding RRG. Was not any RRG seed to be had this spring.

 

[CJohnson]

Very interesting, I think it would work for me. I am going to try it on 50 acres next spring if the seed is available.

 

[dun]

Crabgrass takes grazing management about like the prairie grasses. If it starts to get much growth it gets wirey and the cows just trample it. If it's kept shorter and grazed regularly they eat the stuff like candy.

 

[Douglas]

Very interesting, I think it would work for me. I am going to try it on 50 acres next spring if the seed is available.

Call and get your seed directly from the source

http://www.redrivercrabgrass.com/order.html