Slow Start To Grass

[Bright Raven]

This is the second year in a row that grass has been slow in growing. We have had 6 years of above average rainfall. I am wondering if the soils are suffering from leaching of nutrients faster than they are being replaced by the process of weathering.

Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus can be replaced by fertilizer but the other micronutrients are more difficult to supplement. Our county agent said that the hay she tested from our County has been going down over the last 2 years. Most attribute that to high rainfall in the summer.

The other factor has been low temperatures. We were down to 21 degrees just a week ago. I stopped putting out hay this weekend. The grass is just now starting to grow. We are in a cycle of later, shorter springs. Last year, spring was late and it went right into a hot wet summer.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Low night time temps we deal with abundance of rainfall.

 

[Bright Raven]

Low night time temps we deal with abundance of rainfall.

This is the first year in the last 10 that I put hay out after April 1.

 

[kenny thomas]

I'm still feeding also. Will quit maybe Sunday. Grass is very slow here also. I also usually quit giving them hay by April 1.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

To early to say one way or the other UP here. Still at least 5-6 weeks away from our "traditional" turn out on pasture time. But last year it was later than normal.

 

[JW IN VA]

Grass is green but not growing fast.Maybe it's because we wish it would hurry.Never turned out here until the latter part of April.Mine have cut way back on the hay,though.Between the warmer temperatures and thinking they are getting something from the grass,it has slowed consumption.Glad I started feeding the grain.The cattle are doing better.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Low night time temps we deal with abundance of rainfall.

This is the first year in the last 10 that I put hay out after April 1.

We were feeding last year it was almost May before the night time temps got up to get the grass growing. That's not the first time either. Probably the first for you since you got serious with cattle.
Won't be the last either, I think it was 2012 we had snow on Good Friday.

 

[bball]

Last year's spring was very odd. Planted pasture in mid April, got freezing temps and snow the next night. Weather folks never saw it coming??? Things just started to turn the corner here this weekend. Still feeding hay and will be for another 2-3 weeks easy. Great point about the micronutrients not being replaced as quickly as they're being lost.

 

[greybeard]

I'm done with hay. Grass is green and growing.
The same thing that causes me other problems, also brings nutrients to my land. The floodwater coming out of the national forest and from upriver.

 

[Silver]

Still snow on the ground here, losing it fast. I would expect to be able to turn out in 6 weeks.

 

[DCA farm]

Grass is coming in good in Louisiana

 

[kenny thomas]

Still snow on the ground here, losing it fast. I would expect to be able to turn out in 6 weeks.

Pretty sure we never had enough snow to cover the grass all winter.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Still snow on the ground here, losing it fast. I would expect to be able to turn out in 6 weeks.

Pretty sure we never had enough snow to cover the grass all winter.

Had enough water to cover the grass though.


Hard to grow in standing water. Our wheat has lots of thin spots in it from to much water.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We've been on grass for 3 weeks now, I wish the cows would leave the corn for the deer.

 

[kenny thomas]

Still snow on the ground here, losing it fast. I would expect to be able to turn out in 6 weeks.

Pretty sure we never had enough snow to cover the grass all winter.

Had enough water to cover the grass though.


Hard to grow in standing water. Our wheat has lots of thin spots in it from to much water.

I expect you are correct. We need warm nights now.

 

[snoopdog]

Here we had cool temps and rain during the last grow cycle, but the nights have been warm and seeing bermuda now. Probably feed 1 or 2 more bales. The hayfield is looking awesome and the wheat is starting to get some height, so looking forward to a good first cutting anyway.