Grazing frost killed alfalfa

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I was feeding today, and since we had all the rain this fall, I've been feeding out of the hay fields as I wasn't able to haul anything home. I realized that I was running through alot of frost killed alfalfa, all standing about 6 inches tall. Since a couple of my hay fields border my pastures, it would be a snap to toss a fence around the hay fields, and get some use out of that stuff that was too short to cut again. With the average amount of snowfall we get up here, I really don't need any kind of snow trap, so it wouldn't kill me to see the alfalfa grazed right down before the snows came. Even if I did need a trap, it would be cheap to roll out with the blade and blade a couple traps throughout the winter.

Just curious if anyone has had any success fall grazing frost killed alfalfa? I know alfalfa is susceptible to nitrate poisoning after frost, so how long after a frost do I need to wait to put the critters out on it? How heavy a frost do I need before I need to worry about nitrate poisoning? We've had several hard frosts now, but we still have some green undergrowth that I would _guess_ is still susceptible to nitrates.

Rod

 

[ENNOT]

You should be fine after two week from a killing frost. Not too sure about the nitrate problem though. We have alot of guys run cows on frost killed alfalfa and they haven't had any problems as far as I know. To be safe you could throw out some stemmy hay to help fill up their guts.

Maybe ask someone around your area that has done it before, but as long as it has frost killed, it should be okay.

We have an irrigated pasture that is about 20 - 30% alfalfa and we have never had any problems. I would think you would be okay, but like I said, ask someonne in your neighborhood that has had any experience. Just make sure they are full of feed before you turn them on it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Alfalfa does not stock pile well like some grasses or BT so you want to get on it early. I have a neighbor who grazes alfalfa all the time - - right through the change in seasons. I asked him if he had any bloat problems after a killing frost, and he said only once...

I was on alfalfa mixes during September and early October but sold out before it was gone. No reason to graze it all off when prices are dropping a couple dollars per hundred per week.

 

[Bobg]

Our neighbor annually pastures his frost killed alfalfa and has never had any problems.

Bobg

 

[NorCalFarms]

The only fall grazing we have around here is alfalfa ground. Generally we wait until a week or two after a really hard freeze to turn them out, with no problems. Once the leaves start to turn brown you are okay. I am paranoid about bloat, and have never had a problem on frost killed alfalfa. It is also dang good feed. It won't hurt the hay at all to let them graze it short as it has already gone dormant.