How’s your grass?

[Hogfarmer10]

I'm in northeast TN. I've noticed that it just seems like the grass in pastures and hayfields just hasn't started growing around here. Even what was fertilized. It's got a real nice "black green" color, just not growing. My ryegrass is looking great but the perennial grasses are just sitting there. It's like that all around here. We've had plenty of rain and, other than the Christmas week freeze, no hard cold temperatures. Just wondering what everybody else's grass is doing.

 

[EasTex]

Rye grass is still looking good here. Talked to my hay guy this evening and he said the 1st cutting of summer grass probably won't be until early/mid June. We have had good rain so far this year. Sure hope it continues!

 

[Walker's Ridge]

Our grass is green but really isn't growing well either. We are dry from a lack of rain though; so I assume with some rain it should take off. Still with as nice and mild as it's been even the alfalfa seems stunted.

 

[kenny thomas]

A little frost yesterday morning and 87 this afternoon i expect is part of it. For several years i have turned out April 5th. Im rotating pastures but still giving them some hay.

 

[coachg]

Ours is growing but the cows are eating like there's no tomorrow. I'm always afraid : rain , fertilizer, fast growth = grass tetny in fresh calvers . Keeping hay out as long as they are cleaning it up . They are slowing down on the hay .

 

[Dave]

Snow about once a week and near daily low temperatures below freezing have kept it from growing. Down low the grass is green but about 2 inches tall. On the higher ground the snow is still over the top of the fences. I was at a branding this afternoon it was a main subject of conversation. Normally cows would be going out. They aren't yet and hay is running low.

 

[50/50Farms]

I'm going to try to ride out to our pastures on Saturday or Sunday, I'm hoping it's balanced out some. I need to find something in the world that eats yellowstem broomsedge after maturity, other than a bush hog of course.

 

[sstterry]

Those recent cold nights in East Tn don't do much for growth. Hopefully, we turned the corner on that with the last cold snap. My father taught Shop and Ag in High School. He always told me that April 15th was considered the "frost-free" day in this area. That doesn't mean it would never frost after that, but more likely than not that was the safe date.

 

[tex452]

The rye is looking good, the nights have been too cold for coastal/tifton, it's slowly coming out.
We're hoping for the first cut around the middle of may?

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Our grass is starting up, I'm going to spread 30 yards of compost today before the rains start.

 

[TCRanch]

Grass? Epic drought, going on the 2nd year. Pond in the west 80 is completely dry, just a little left in the other ponds. Stopped putting out bales last week and my poor cows are grubbing whatever they can find but still supplementing with cubes. Praying for rain!!!

 

[Logan52]

Grass greened up here in mid-February, probably three weeks to a month earlier than usual. Since then we have alternated between cold and warm, with frequent frosts and freezes. During February and March we had a weekly wind event with gusts over 40 mph (up to 55 mph at its worst).
The ground is hard a rock and pocked with cattle tracks despite a winter relatively free of mud. Grass is sparse and growing slowly.
I normally have quit feeding by the end of the first week of April. They are still hungry and cleaning up what little hay I am putting out for them ( my hay supply is about gone).
To sum it up: grass is about as pitiful as I have ever seen it for this time of year. We need some warm nights and gentle showers.
I had intended to purchase some cow-calf pairs to supplement my own herd and give me a few more calves to sell this fall. Now I am glad I only bought one pair.

 

[blackladies]

Decent growth here in sw mo on the fescue. Cows decided they were not going to touch the hay anymore a few weeks ago.

 

[chaded]

Grass is growing pretty good here. I let them buzz off one pasture some and then locked them up in the lot. I have a barn full of hay that needs to go so they are going to go through some of it before they go back out.

 

[CCCowman]

I'm in northeast TN. I've noticed that it just seems like the grass in pastures and hayfields just hasn't started growing around here. Even what was fertilized. It's got a real nice "black green" color, just not growing. My ryegrass is looking great but the perennial grasses are just sitting there. It's like that all around here. We've had plenty of rain and, other than the Christmas week freeze, no hard cold temperatures. Just wondering what everybody else's grass is doing.

Just up the road from you. My grass is the same... Looks good but not growing yet. Cows stopped eating hay.

 

[1982vett]

About 3 weeks ago. Plan on cutting in about a week.

 

[georgiabob]

We had an early spring in Middle Georgia. My bahia has been growing since late February/early March. Clover and chicory are doing good. Cows are ignoring rye.

 

[faster horses]

We delivered lick tubs yesterday and drove through WY, SD and MT. There is no new grass anywhere. It's only supposed to get in the high 20's at night here next week, so grass won't be growing much with those nighttime temperatures. Right here at home is the only snow to speak of.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I'm in northeast TN. I've noticed that it just seems like the grass in pastures and hayfields just hasn't started growing around here. Even what was fertilized. It's got a real nice "black green" color, just not growing. My ryegrass is looking great but the perennial grasses are just sitting there. It's like that all around here. We've had plenty of rain and, other than the Christmas week freeze, no hard cold temperatures. Just wondering what everybody else's grass is doing.

I'm in Hawkins County. I am right there with you. It doesn't seem to be doing much. I really need it to come on.

I ran out of hay on the 1st and started grazing. Should be starting 2nd pass in a week or so. It's not ready yet. I sure hope we get rain this weekend. We didn't get much yesterday, hardly any at all.

The wind has blown nonstop here since February. I guess that's a good part of my problem.

 

[Logan52]

The worst part of it here is that hay feeding began in mid-October for many. A dry fall followed by early cold weather had people feeding like winter at a time cows were usually grazing stockpiled grass. The cattle are starved for grass and there is just not enough grazing available as in a normal year.
With purchased feed expensive, many are just throwing in the towel and there were a lot of dispersal sales in the area this spring.