Safe winter grass for cow grazing..N.Texas

[texanstraders]

Looking for a "safe" grass to overseed or no till over a Bermuda pasture for winter grazing. Only talking about 7 acres here. I should enough hay to get the cows through the winter, just like to cover my bases...
I did Rye last year and it was great...I became a little concerned about grass tetany since we had such a wet spring. I rotated the cows on and off for a few weeks to play it safe, but I sure was nervous. I am In north Collin county (North of Dallas)... Thanks

 

[JRM]

Little east of you, I run ryegrass and clover mix in my pasture. Has worked great. Never had a problem. Apache and Durana clover is what I am have now.
Some people plant wheat or oats for grazing, but for me ryegrass and clover work better.
Good luck

 

[BC]

Looking for a "safe" grass to overseed or no till over a Bermuda pasture for winter grazing. Only talking about 7 acres here. I should enough hay to get the cows through the winter, just like to cover my bases...
I did Rye last year and it was great...I became a little concerned about grass tetany since we had such a wet spring. I rotated the cows on and off for a few weeks to play it safe, but I sure was nervous. I am In north Collin county (North of Dallas)... Thanks

When you say you planted rye, did you mean a cereal rye or ryegrass? Cereal rye (varieties for your area would be Elbon or Maton) give more fall grazing than ryegrass. They mature earlier. Ryegrass is easier to plant. Varieties that work well in your area would be Marshall, TAM 90, Prine and several others.

Keep a hi-mag mineral out for the cows when grazing cool season annuals.

 

[texanstraders]

I planted just a rye grass last year. It did really well. Then I made a BIG mistake. I found some "Perineal" rye on close out and put some of that out...Apparently that was a bad thing from what I read...
Ok, so should I just stick with the rye or mix something else with it ?

 

[BC]

Use an annual ryegrass like you did last year and forget about perennial ryegrass in Texas. It is to d*mn hot and it will not persist here. Use some of the varieties that I mentioned in earlier post. Check with your Extension agent about other varieties that may work in your area.

I know that the thought of having something perennial is appealing but we have not developed anything that will grow like that in Texas with the exception of fescue.

 

[1982vett]

In our part of Texas, gulfcoast rye will come back year after year after year if you give it an opportunity to make some of its own seed. Just look along the highways in the spring.

Neighbor has been notilling oats in late October, has had reasonable sucess. I does provide earlier grazing than gulfcoast ryegrass. The ryegrass in this area is always a little slower to provide grazing. You being about 200 miles farther north might make a difference. You might try a mix of ryegrass and oats, drop some cover or vetch too.

 

[fourstates]

I am sorry Texanstrader, I don't mean to laugh, but "perineal" rye grass would be a real bummer! Probably itch too...I think you meant "perennial" rye grass. I least I hope so!

 

[BC]

In our part of Texas, gulfcoast rye will come back year after year after year if you give it an opportunity to make some of its own seed. Just look along the highways in the spring.

Neighbor has been notilling oats in late October, has had reasonable sucess. I does provide earlier grazing than gulfcoast ryegrass. The ryegrass in this area is always a little slower to provide grazing. You being about 200 miles farther north might make a difference. You might try a mix of ryegrass and oats, drop some cover or vetch too.

The grazing lost by letting ryegrass go to seed so as to not have to plant far exceeds the cost of seed for another planting. Too many people around here bet too much on reseeding ryegrass. Seed is cheap compared to fertilizer. Plan to bale the excess if you have it and store it in a barn as it does not keep well stored outside here in East Texas. Better yet, add clover and move to a more sustainable grazing program.

 

[1982vett]

Some places it reseeds itself better than others.  The highway department used it during a highway project in the '70's  and it has made itself at home.  Prolific around here as bahaia is in other parts.

 

[novatech]

Rye oats or what ever you choose will work. The clover will give you the best bang for your buck. You will add some N to your pasture for the upcoming season. This will help reduce your fert. costs. Let the clover reseed and plant a variety that does not bloat. I like Apache Arrow Leaf mixed with oats and rye.

 

[texanstraders]

[/quote]
The grazing lost by letting ryegrass go to seed so as to not have to plant far exceeds the cost of seed for another planting. Too many people around here bet too much on reseeding ryegrass. Seed is cheap compared to fertilizer. Plan to bale the excess if you have it and store it in a barn as it does not keep well stored outside here in East Texas. Better yet, add clover and move to a more sustainable grazing program.[/quote]

I was wondering about baling. I should have done that last year it did so well. I have access to another couple of acres. Is the hay of enough quality for me to consider planting those strictly for hay ?

 

[skyline]

I'm east of you on I-20. Last year I planted TAM90 ryegrass in October by disking with my disk turned straight, followed by broadcast seeding and a drag with a chain harrow. I didn't fertilize. Really didn't have anything of significance up until Spring, but I did have some grazing in the Spring. It was my third year to do it. Here's what I have learned....

1. I plan to add clover to it this year to help with nitrogen fixation, due to the high cost of fertilizer.
2. I'm going to make sure the pasture is grazed or mowed to almost nothing before I do it this year. The places with higher grass had no ryegrass last year. The places with a lower dormant grass stand came on much faster.
3. I plan to be more aggressive with my disk this year and put about a 20 degree pitch on the blades. I really don't think it's going to hurt my bahai, and I think it might actually help to rejuvenate the old coastal bermuda. Everywhere that I till on my place comes back with bermuda grass instead of the bahai.
4. I'm going to fertilize this year after I get the initial germination.
5. I'm planning to do this to about 3 times as many acres as I did last year as my 6 acre pasture wasn't big enough to be worth the effort. The deer were eating it as fast as it came up, and putting my cows on the remainder didn't provide enough grazing to make it very worthwhile.

Good luck to you and let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

 

[skyline]

The grazing lost by letting ryegrass go to seed so as to not have to plant far exceeds the cost of seed for another planting. Too many people around here bet too much on reseeding ryegrass. Seed is cheap compared to fertilizer. Plan to bale the excess if you have it and store it in a barn as it does not keep well stored outside here in East Texas. Better yet, add clover and move to a more sustainable grazing program.[/quote]

I was wondering about baling. I should have done that last year it did so well. I have access to another couple of acres. Is the hay of enough quality for me to consider planting those strictly for hay ?[/quote]

There is a rancher south of me that bales his ryegrass each year and swears by it. Says it makes really good hay. Doubt that he has had it tested, but it works for his cows.

 

[1982vett]

I was wondering about baling. I should have done that last year it did so well. I have access to another couple of acres. Is the hay of enough quality for me to consider planting those strictly for hay ?

Makes great hay and is the backbone of my hay production. The earlier you bale it the higher the protien content. Biggest problem is curing in early spring.

 

[texanstraders]

THANKS a bunch. I am sure it will work out..
Not sure where you are Skyline, but we have some friends in Pittsburg...Looking to retire there in a few more years..Just love that area.

 

[skyline]

THANKS a bunch. I am sure it will work out..
Not sure where you are Skyline, but we have some friends in Pittsburg...Looking to retire there in a few more years..Just love that area.

We're between Longview and Marshall. Pittsburg is a nice place. I think it would be a great place to retire.