Mowing fescue pasture

[southernblues]

Is it ever too late to mow your fescue pasture? I have a 50 acre pasture that we took back from the renters in the fall when we got back into cattle business. The renters parting shot was grazing it down to nub --- with spring moisture and we fertilized in April, it's come up good. We've only had 10 bred heifers running on it since early May and getting ready to move them and another bunch onto Native grasses, however the fescue is TALL.

With heat of summer around corner, I just didn't want to mow it now and hurt it knowing that rainfall could be few and far between until fall which we will put about 18 pairs on it through winter. Should I wait to mow in fall or do now? There are some weeds that could use a haircut too.

 

[luke03cr]

You should go ahead and clip your fescue. By this time of year and as tall as you say it is it is Likly to stemmy to be palatable and its lost most of it nutrient value. If you clip it between 5 to 6in youl leave plenty of leaf area where it can collect sun and store nutrients in its roots. If you clip it shorter then about 4 in then youl stress the root reserves and have a poor fall stand. But at 6 in or so you should be good to go for a early fall cutting then hopefully have enough growing season left to stock pile for winter grazing.

 

[dun]

If you cut it at 3-4 inches it won;t hurt it. Most of the seedwill shed as you cut it so figure out a way to catch that seed and use it to reseed thin areas. Even better would be to brush hog it to about 6-8 inches, but still catch the seed.