Spray or clip?

[Banjo]

My stockpiled grass isn't hay it's junk grass and the cows won't eat it without supplementation, and barely then. I tried stockpiling grass, and fertilized bahia and bermuda doesn't work in these parts. There's a few others on here that have tried with the same results as me. If we could grow fescue in the south we'd have the bull by the horns.

You should try growing some ky 31. It takes a certain level of management like anything else.
It should be a good time to sow in about 4 to 6 weeks. Next spring don't graze it short. Clip it all you want too.
Let it get a deep root system. It will die out here if overgrazed too much in dry/hot weather.

 

[Bright Raven]

To generalize, good pasture management includes both. As Bigfoot has also stated, weeds are not evil. Many weeds are benign and clipping them and returning then to the ground as a form of mulch has numerous benefits. It recycles nutrients, adds humus, and acts as a mulch.

However, some weeds are noxious and evade mowing. This year I am spot spraying cocklebur. Mowing simply causes it to grow in a dwarf form and below the level of the rotary mower. On my steep hillsides, mowing is best performed with the cut about 6 to 8 inches off ground. That eliminates scalping. I also spot spray spiny pigweed and poison hemlock.

I actually like to see some heavy weed growth this time of year on my steep pastures. Knocking it down with the rotary mower greatly benefits the soil on steep slopes.

 

[True Grit Farms]

My stockpiled grass isn't hay it's junk grass and the cows won't eat it without supplementation, and barely then. I tried stockpiling grass, and fertilized bahia and bermuda doesn't work in these parts. There's a few others on here that have tried with the same results as me. If we could grow fescue in the south we'd have the bull by the horns.

You should try growing some ky 31. It takes a certain level of management like anything else.
It should be a good time to sow in about 4 to 6 weeks. Next spring don't graze it short. Clip it all you want too.
Let it get a deep root system. It will die out here if overgrazed too much in dry/hot weather.

I tried it without any luck in a spring planting, but the year I tried it we ended up in a drought and nothing else made either. Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

 

[ga.prime]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

 

[Bright Raven]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

Primitive man carried a fire by keeping a live ember in a tuff of Bahia grass. You don't need to do that. Just carry some matches.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

Most cattle here thrive on Bahia and common Bermuda as hay and stockpiled. Bahia is the grass of East Texas.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Red River crab grass was developed by the Noble foundation in Ardmore Oklahoma for the Gulf coast.
I would think it would do well in Ga.
Took me a few years to get it going, it
makes a kick butt pastures.

 

[ga.prime]

Red River crab grass was developed by the Noble foundation in Ardmore Oklahoma for the Gulf coast.
I would think it would do well in Ga.
Took me a few years to get it going, it
makes a kick butt pastures.

Crab grass does great in Ga. Probably Where the Noble Foundation got their Red River seed from. Crab grass azz high in my garden right now.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

I should of figured you tried fescue, did you plant any in some low spots? William asked about you at every meeting, you know your more than welcome to come and eat a steak with us.

 

[ga.prime]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

Primitive man carried a fire by keeping a live ember in a tuff of Bahia grass.

Dam, you're good. Bahai will absorb a lot of moisture as the sun goes down and the humidity rises. It won't burn at all after dark but will smolder hence the validation of your statement.

 

[ga.prime]

Everyone says fescue won't grow south of the fall line, or in the knat line. And I live about 50 miles to far to the south. I think I'll order a bag or two and try it again this fall.

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

I should of figured you tried fescue, did you plant any in some low spots? William asked about you at every meeting, you know your more than welcome to come and eat a steak with us.

As I remember it was all on higher ground, don't think I planted any low lying areas. Thanks for the invite to Cattleman's, it'd be good to see William, haven't see him in a year or two.

 

[Bright Raven]

I don't say that. I planted some 25 years ago. It never was anywhere near as robust as what you see up in North Ga. or Tennessee but it stuck around for a few years. Feeding hay through the winter is the most economical way to go down here where we are. Cows can live well and maintain condition on hay alone if it's any good. Stockpiled bahia and bermuda is worthless for feeding purposes. Like you said, cows will starve before they will eat it. They would also starve if they did eat it. The only thing it's good for is carrying a fire.

Primitive man carried a fire by keeping a live ember in a tuff of Bahia grass.

Dam, you're good. Bahai will absorb a lot of moisture as the sun goes down and the humidity rises. It won't burn at all after dark but will smolder hence the validation of your statement.

I read a lot.

 

[snoopdog]

I do believe that organic matter is an important part of soil substructure. Right or wrong, I will prefer to clip vs chemical solutions , if possible .

We agree it goes in the front of the cow and comes out the back.

Agreed CB, sometimes a simple answer isn't so simple. We are renovating right now and just aren't efficient in our stocking rate for this season, it goes against the grain to cut down good grass that cattle can eat. When I clip, I generally don't reduce tonnage a great lot, it seems to help palatability, while still retaining cover for reduced trampling damage .

 

[Banjo]

One thing that always puzzled me since I was old enough to take interest in farming is why the pastures were never any where near as good as the yard. The pastures had cattle manuring and peeing on it, even sometimes Dad would put some fertilize on...so it stood to reason they should grow more/thicker grass. But it didn't.

Back then, we just mowed the yard about every two weeks or when it got shaggy lookin. Not once or twice a week like folks do now. If we took off about 4 inches each mowing...that's about 8 inches a month x 6 months....that's about 4 feet of residue...on the conservative side...also residue that was in its prime nutrient stage, not old brown straw like stuff.
So I guess that's what I try to mimick...at least with pastures that I don't need at the present time.

 

[Ol' 243]

I think mowing might be the best pasture management practice ever. I am not an expert and I could be wrong, my wife said I was wrong one time too. :lol:

 

[Old Hat]

Red River crab grass was developed by the Noble foundation in Ardmore Oklahoma for the Gulf coast.
I would think it would do well in Ga.
Took me a few years to get it going, it
makes a kick butt pastures.

What kind of crabgrass did you plant?
Do you have any advice on getting it established?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Red River crab grass was developed by the Noble foundation in Ardmore Oklahoma for the Gulf coast.
I would think it would do well in Ga.
Took me a few years to get it going, it
makes a kick butt pastures.

What kind of crabgrass did you plant?
Do you have any advice on getting it established?

Red River Crab Grass has a crude protein average of 15%.
Planted about five acres as instructed cows have virtually seeded the whole place since.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/m/#publication?id=AG195

http://farmseeds.com/grasses/crabgrass/establish.htm

 

[Old Hat]

Thanks Caustic Burno. I think I'm gonna try some.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Thanks Caustic Burno. I think I'm gonna try some.

This is what it will look like when it takes a hold. I am in S/E Texas roughly 60 miles off the gulf.




It is slowly taking the Bahia out five years ago the pasture with the dog was solid Pensacola