Stocking piling grass

[mermill2]

Hi, does anybody out there have any tips or ideas for stock piling grass for fall and winter forage? Gary

 

[Herefordcross]

Fescue is the easiest grass to stockpile, at least for us. We are try some pearl Millet and rye grass this year to extend, not stockpile, the grazing season. Fescue has worked for us pretty good in the past but, it takes it's toll on it as some of the pastures get soft/muddy.

 

[dj]

clip the last of Aug. top dress the first part of Sept. hope for rain

 

[J. T.]

As dj said, clip it or graze it low in August and topdress. I topdress with 60 lbs. N/acre and use portable electric fences to strip graze. Due to stockpiling and rainfall at the right time, I didn't feed hay this past winter.

 

[Chris H]

Here in southwest Ohio we pull the cows by Aug 1 on the fescue. Fertilize with nitrogen, maybe potash if needed. We have one field we just took off 4 tons hay/acre. It had nitrogen when we removed the bred heifers in March. It will get nitrogen again the first week in Aug. We can count on a gully-washer rain that week. New crop of bred heifers will go back out about Thanksgiving. We strip graze it to keep them from trampling and soiling excess grass. It will support 1 animal unit per acre for 4 months in the winter. Hay is fed if the snow is too deep, or heavy ice storms cover the field in ice. Both rare ocassions for us, but they happen so be prepared if you can get those conditions.
Something else we've seen, and are doing this year. Interseed oats in the corn in July/August; can also be planted after wheat is harvested. It will yield up to 4-5 tons and should also be strip-grazed.