Switchgrass and Sudangrass

[cfpinz]

Anyone here using either for summer grazing?

Went to a field day recently with some plots of summer annuals/perennials and those two caught my eye, test plots but neither had seen any grazing pressure.

I need something to fill the gap we're in this time of the year when our fescue/og shuts down for the summer, specifically in droughty conditions. Any experience you can share, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Anyone here using either for summer grazing?

Went to a field day recently with some plots of summer annuals/perennials and those two caught my eye, test plots but neither had seen any grazing pressure.

I need something to fill the gap we're in this time of the year when our fescue/og shuts down for the summer, specifically in droughty conditions. Any experience you can share, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

I put in a test plot of Alamo switch grass did well till the cows got on it.
RRCG is the only improved forage I have had any true success at other than the Bahia varieties

 

[callmefence]

They used Sudan slot around here when I was a kid. Now we plant hybrid Sudan every year and I couldn't get by without it. It won't reseed though. I've considered trying sedan or even more likely Johnson grass as a volunteer annual.
I've tried crabgrass as well. It grows pitiful here
Mr. Darymyple warned me it didn't like heavy soil. You might contact him about either crabgrass or Piper Sudan. Depending on your soil.

 

[dun]

Why not the usual blend of big and little bluestem?

 

[Caustic Burno]

They used Sudan slot around here when I was a kid. Now we plant hybrid Sudan every year and I couldn't get by without it. It won't reseed though. I've considered trying sedan or even more likely Johnson grass as a volunteer annual.
I've tried crabgrass as well. It grows pitiful here
Mr. Darymyple warned me it didn't like heavy soil. You might contact him about either crabgrass or Piper Sudan. Depending on your soil.

The one thing I have learned is we can't beat Ma Nature. Fellow ask me one time what was the best grass.
My reply was what will grow in your pasture put pounds on a bovine with low inputs. We don't get to pick the variety.

 

[cfpinz]

Why not the usual blend of big and little bluestem?

The test plots for those were nowhere near as nice as the two I mentioned.

Any advantages to the bluestem over the others?

 

[dun]

Why not the usual blend of big and little bluestem?

The test plots for those were nowhere near as nice as the two I mentioned.

Any advantages to the bluestem over the others?

Main one I can think of is that it's so deeply rooted that it does well will no rain and it doesn;t require squat for fertility

 

[callmefence]

Why not the usual blend of big and little bluestem?

The test plots for those were nowhere near as nice as the two I mentioned.

Any advantages to the bluestem over the others?

Main one I can think of is that it's so deeply rooted that it does well will no rain and it doesn;t require squat for fertility

I have Dahl bluestem on my west property.
Very impressive late season grass

 

[ddd75]

i like dwarf sudan grass no tilled right into existing pasture.

works out wonderfully.

 

[TN Cattle Man]

For the past three years we have been planting a Sorghum-Sudangrass (CF Cow Chow by Caverndale Farms) hybrid in some of our "weaker" rotational fields (generally the fields we Winter the cattle in). This grass has done exceptional here in Middle Tennessee... we find that we have to rotate the cows on it every 14-21 days just to keep it ate down. We typically bring the cows in before the plant starts to head out. This grass under the right conditions can grow upwards of 6" a day. We also plant about 50 acres of it just for the hay.

About the only drawback to it is you have to be careful about Prussic Acid (after a frost).

 

[Banjo]

I like crabgrass, but it don't need a lot of competition.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Pinz try some lespedeza Kobe or Korean.

 

[TexasBred]

Why not the usual blend of big and little bluestem?

Or some more of that "Persian" stuff he tried a while back. :cry2:

 

[Stocker Steve]

Very little warm season perennial grass here. My impression is that it takes too much management for most.

Some sorghum x sudan annual raised here. We are on the northern edge of the range. Often it is a major component in a cover crop mix. This can fill in a forage hole left by the summer slump of native pasture. Cash flowing it is challenging since we get only get one decent grazing out of it.

A max management sequence for soil regeneration is:
1) bale graze leaving limited residue
2) some spring grazing, then spray with round up in mid June
3) no till summer cover crop mix after 4 days for spray translocation, will need a little N after it is up
4) graze it hard in August
5) shallow tillage followed by a fall rye/oats/brassica mix
6) one fall grazing
7) one spring grazing
8) no till soybeans into the rye the following May