Odd hay and Pasture Year

[Bright Raven]

I had two visitors yesterday related to my fencing. One was the owner of the fencing company who sells hay and the UK Externsion agent who was here to inspect my fence project.

During both visits, the topic of plant growth came up. Seems that grasses have not performed and clovers have filled in. Both gentleman said pastures here are filled with white dutch clover or ladino clover and grasses are under performing. The fencing guy said second cutting hay in this area is going to be mostly red clover and a small understory of grasses.

The other conversation was weeds like cocklebur, horseweed, etc are earlier than normal. The late summer weeds that normally peak in August are already well on their way to peaking in July.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I had two visitors yesterday related to my fencing. One was the owner of the fencing company who sells hay and the UK Externsion agent who was here to inspect my fence project.

During both visits, the topic of plant growth came up. Seems that grasses have not performed and clovers have filled in. Both gentleman said pastures here are filled with white dutch clover or ladino clover and grasses are under performing. The fencing guy said second cutting hay in this area is going to be mostly red clover and a small understory of grasses.

The other conversation was weeds like cocklebur, horseweed, etc are earlier than normal. The late summer weeds that normally peak in August are already well on their way to peaking in July.

To what are we to attribute this phenomenon? Cool wet spring perhaps? I'm not happy with our pastures this year.

 

[Bright Raven]

I had two visitors yesterday related to my fencing. One was the owner of the fencing company who sells hay and the UK Externsion agent who was here to inspect my fence project.

During both visits, the topic of plant growth came up. Seems that grasses have not performed and clovers have filled in. Both gentleman said pastures here are filled with white dutch clover or ladino clover and grasses are under performing. The fencing guy said second cutting hay in this area is going to be mostly red clover and a small understory of grasses.

The other conversation was weeds like cocklebur, horseweed, etc are earlier than normal. The late summer weeds that normally peak in August are already well on their way to peaking in July.

To what are we to attribute this phenomenon? Cool wet spring perhaps? I'm not happy with our pastures this year.

Only can speculate. Most attribute it to the erratic weather. Has not hurt my cows - UK Extension Inspector looked at my cows and said if they were his, he would be scared to death. That was his words. He was concerned they will have big calves.

 

[ClinchValley]

Haha. Scared to death ya say? I must be in a good mood this morning. I've laughed twice now on here.

 

[Bright Raven]

Haha. Scared to death ya say? I must be in a good mood this morning. I've laughed twice now on here.

There are a couple that are getting grotesque! I have 13 cows and 2 heifers due Sept/Oct. The 2 heifers are not too over-conditioned - maybe 7?

Fire Sweep was telling me I am fine that grass fat is different than grain fat? Say what? It may be organically different in its molecular structure but it is still a mass that narrows the birth canal. According to her, grass will also not put as much mass on the calf. I am not too worried. I am here for the entire calving season and I bring them to the facility to calve.

 

[M-5]

Whats funny is just yesterday I was opening a bag of Safeguard pellets and on the back was a BCS chart similar to this one and I had the thought that they should change the high number to just say "Ron"

 

[Bright Raven]

Whats funny is just yesterday I was opening a bag of Safeguard pellets and on the back was a BCS chart similar to this one and I had the thought that they should change the high number to just say "Ron"

There is logic in that.

 

[Bigfoot]

Fescue has crowed funny all spring. Think me, or maybe somebody else started a thread on that. Crabgrass came real early as well. My actual hay production looks to be about half of last year.

 

[cowgirl8]

We've had the most rain in our area..Just north 17 miles its really dry. Our dalis grass is late to head out, which is a good thing. We had more Yuchi clover. Our grass is out of control...but too wet in some fields to cut hay.

 

[Bright Raven]

Fescue has crowed funny all spring. Think me, or maybe somebody else started a thread on that. Crabgrass came real early as well. My actual hay production looks to be about half of last year.

The fencing guy said first cutting was down by 40 % and second cutting may be worse.

I read the sulfur thread. Has me wondering if all the consecutive years of higher than normal precipitation has leached the soil of one of the trace minerals or elements????

 

[Banjo]

Probably the very dry fall we had last year did a number on a lot of grass.

 

[M-5]

I've had several folks stop and tell me they want to buy hay because of how fields look. Thurs 2 weeks ago I fertilized and it's as thick or thicker than it was 3 weeks ago when I cut it. We've been blessed with enough moisture after a dry dry spring. If it keeps this up I might get 5 cuttings.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Grass took a beating here last winter in spots, and white clover is very plentiful this summer all over.

2 yrs ago most clover was killed out, but came back good last year, and then this yr the grass took a kicking... Always something. Our spring came earlier, but was more cold wet weather, so we didnt gain any time, and if anything hay fields are about a week behind now of normal.

 

[wbvs58]

Ron, I think clovers are very knowledgeable. We can have some very big springs here for clover but it doesn't happen every year. If it is going to be a good clover year you start to see it in autumn and it continues to increase over winter and goes gangbusters in spring. My theory is that it knows in advance whether spring is going to be mild and damp and if it is going to be hot and dry then the clover doesn't bother germinating much of its hard seed bank. When it is a good clover year it does smother the summer grasses but is good feed though.

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

Ron, I think clovers are very knowledgeable. We can have some very big springs here for clover but it doesn't happen every year. If it is going to be a good clover year you start to see it in autumn and it continues to increase over winter and goes gangbusters in spring. My theory is that it knows in advance whether spring is going to be mild and damp and if it is going to be hot and dry then the clover doesn't bother germinating much of its hard seed bank. When it is a good clover year it does smother the summer grasses but is good feed though.

Ken

Exactly what is occurring here. Very good feed and cows are packing on the pounds.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Ron, I think clovers are very knowledgeable. We can have some very big springs here for clover but it doesn't happen every year. If it is going to be a good clover year you start to see it in autumn and it continues to increase over winter and goes gangbusters in spring. Ken

The diversified row crop guys here talk about good (cool season) oats years vs. good (warm season) corn years. Our summer weather is not consistent.
The hay guys talk about winter kill of "improved" varieties. Our winter snow cover is no longer consistent...
There is a lot of clover in the seed bank. Tons per acre in some areas. So it can afford to germinate early and often. I now run cattle over certain pastures in early spring to encourage it with hoof till.