Seeding ryegrass this fall

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Hpacres440p

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In Central Texas, it's been dry since Mid-August. Everyone around us got 2" of rain this week, we were under an umbrella and only got 1/2". I know by dates it's time to broadcast the ryegrass, but forecast is dry for at least the next 10 days. Wait and pray for rain or go ahead and seed (and pray for rain)?
 
In Central Texas, it's been dry since Mid-August. Everyone around us got 2" of rain this week, we were under an umbrella and only got 1/2". I know by dates it's time to broadcast the ryegrass, but forecast is dry for at least the next 10 days. Wait and pray for rain or go ahead and seed (and pray for rain)?
We started drilling oats and ryegrass last week. Got 23/4 inches total. We'll start again when it crust , probably today....if I'd just got a half inch I'd wait and consider myself lucky I didn't plant before the rain.
 
I spread end of August, got a couple tenths are rain soon after,, but very little came up. Didn't get real rain til end of September. Has been raining pretty good the last week or so. It is coming up beautifully.

It does seem to be very forgiving for sure. I spun it on.
 
Had a nice quick shower last night, we'll broadcast tonight now that the ground isn't rock hard, rain in the forecast remainder of the week👍🤞
 
How many pounds per acre are you guys spreading?
25-30 over seeded into Bermuda/native. We bought tetraploid Nelson variety this year and trying some of that as well as standard Gulf, as an experiment. Got a nice shower last night-expecting 3-4" total by Friday
 
25-30 over seeded into Bermuda/native. We bought tetraploid Nelson variety this year and trying some of that as well as standard Gulf, as an experiment. Got a nice shower last night-expecting 3-4" total by Friday
I've never planted rye grass put was figuring it would take 25# per acre. The Coop here has rye grass seed for $35 a 50# pound bag. Do you fertilize also?
 
I've never planted rye grass put was figuring it would take 25# per acre. The Coop here has rye grass seed for $35 a 50# pound bag. Do you fertilize also?
25 to 30 pounds if you broadcast, you'll get alot better stand with 15 pounds and a drill. I drill it always where I can run a drill. Ryegrass will make the pasture green without fertilizer but you won't get much yield. I just put 150 pounds of urea out. Anything I decide to hay I'll pull cattle in late February and put another 150 pounds.
 
25 to 30 pounds if you broadcast, you'll get alot better stand with 15 pounds and a drill. I drill it always where I can run a drill. Ryegrass will make the pasture green without fertilizer but you won't get much yield. I just put 150 pounds of urea out. Anything I decide to hay I'll pull cattle in late February and put another 150 pounds.
Do you feel you get enough winter grazing out of the rye to offset the seeding cost in hay or supplement savings. There's also the better conception rate side to look at also. Like I said I've just never tried seeding, I do have some rye grass come up but it's always late February and then I end up shredding it to keep from choking spring grass out.
 
Do you feel you get enough winter grazing out of the rye to offset the seeding cost in hay or supplement savings. There's also the better conception rate side to look at also. Like I said I've just never tried seeding, I do have some rye grass come up but it's always late February and then I end up shredding it to keep from choking spring grass out.
I think so.
But admittedly convenience is a big factor for me. It's good for me to have some grazing available for when things get a little busy for feeding everyday.
Oats give a better return as they offer grazing sometimes as early as november.and on and off until spring.
Ryegrass is alot easier for me to get dry hay off, so I use both.
 
I agree with fence. I put out oats and Rye Grass together (mostly oats). The goal is to have the rye grass establish itself somewhat after a few years. It seems to be working on the pastures where I disc first. not so much where it is just broadcast. I also put out some on un-disced fields using a drill and a culti-packer. This has mixed results. What I planted three weeks ago is about 1 1/2" tall. I try to get some going in each of my pastures so when I rotate the cows through, they have a little bit of something green. This is also counter- productive as it doesn't have enough time to establish itself as it would in a field that was ungrazed.

I have one 45 acre field that I do give enough time to get going good. I put stockers on it when its about 6" tall and leave them on it up until about March and then let it grow up to bale in late April or early May. This provides most of the hay for the whole place. This 45 acre field gets disced and planted first and also gets the most fertilizer.
I like the mixed oats and rye grass hay. The cows do well on it and since it is rolled out, it replants some seed and gives you some additional early spring grazing.
 
Some of us don't have the big wad of cash that you do, I'm afraid to even call and ask for current fertilizer prices.:oops:
It is going to cost something to winter a cow. We know the nutritional needs of the cow. If the hay quality is low, you spend money on seed and fertilizer or buy protein and energy. I got my first and second cutting of hay in one cutting in July. I have had it checked and it is not going to meet the cows needs. From past experience, planting a 1/3 to 1/2 acre of ryegrass/clover per cow and using my lower quality hay has been the cheapest way to winter. We limit graze the ryegrass for a 2 hours a day or 4 hours every other day.
 
M
In Central Texas, it's been dry since Mid-August. Everyone around us got 2" of rain this week, we were under an umbrella and only got 1/2". I know by dates it's time to broadcast the ryegrass, but forecast is dry for at least the next 10 days. Wait and pray for rain or go ahead and seed (and pray for rain)?
My experience is it will come up and die.
I always wait till it's cool and wet enough.
 
It is going to cost something to winter a cow. We know the nutritional needs of the cow. If the hay quality is low, you spend money on seed and fertilizer or buy protein and energy. I got my first and second cutting of hay in one cutting in July. I have had it checked and it is not going to meet the cows needs. From past experience, planting a 1/3 to 1/2 acre of ryegrass/clover per cow and using my lower quality hay has been the cheapest way to winter. We limit graze the ryegrass for a 2 hours a day or 4 hours every other day.
You hit my other question towards the end. I figured they would lay around and waste allot of the rye and oats. Limit grazing would remedy this but would be a little tough for me.

I bought a Ranchworx aerator last year but didn't get around to using until a few weeks ago. It has a prodcast seeder on it that I think would work well with a harrow dragged behind the roller for planting. It doesn't disturb the ground like a disc but I think the way it slices would give the seed a better place to come up than just throwing it out there. Definitely going to plan on doing this on about 150 acres next fall.
 

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