Time to start stockpiling

[Mark Reynolds]

Are you going to be able to stockpile forage (presumably fescue) for winter grazing this year? That is, for those of you that can graze during the winter months.

 

[BC]

It is also time to think about stockpiling bermuda or bahia. One problem - it takes rain in late August and September to grow grass to stockpile for late fall or early winter grazing.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

It is also time to think about stockpiling bermuda or bahia. One problem - it takes rain in late August and September to grow grass to stockpile for late fall or early winter grazing.

Yep. That tends to be at least a tiny factor to consider when stockpiling.

I know exactly what you mean, and I was wondering what impact that is having/will have on everyone this year. It seems like some areas have ample moisture while others are headed for/are in a drought worthy of the record books.

 

[kenny thomas]

Are you going to be able to stockpile forage (presumably fescue) for winter grazing this year? That is, for those of you that can graze during the winter months.

Already have my Urea bought and trying to get the areas grazed down. Will spread the Urea just before labor day.

 

[greybeard]

Remember, if something happens Kenny, it has to be dark colored urea after Labor Day..

 

[ClinchValley86]

Don't know if moisture will allow much of it yet again this year Areas with good fescue I've been clipping the weeds down in preparation. Clover is thick enough I'm not gonna worry with urea. Seems a big gamble anyhow right now.

A good chunk of my place the fescue was grazed out this spring and summer. Was hoping to try some grains for fall/winter but it's turned hot and dry again. Clover doesn't stockpile I don't think.

Just landed a lease with knee deep fescue on half of it. Good bit of blackberries and other weeds though. Should I clip it now or let it go considering the weather? Pic included. Animals won't see it til later this Fall. @kenny thomas

 

[Logan52]

I know I am wrong but 45 years ago I put down Urea on a big part of the farm in early August after clipping it closely. Even then it was being heavily promoted the extension office.
My pastures looked like golf courses and it turned over 90 degrees and did not rain again until November. Needless to say I lost the cost of the urea and had less grass than normal going into the winter.
Like I said, I know I'm wrong but I have always been "once bitten-five times shy" and never tried it again. Always just kept the last cutting of hay for fall grazing.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Don't know if moisture will allow much of it yet again this year Areas with good fescue I've been clipping the weeds down in preparation. Clover is thick enough I'm not gonna worry with urea. Seems a big gamble anyhow right now.

A good chunk of my place the fescue was grazed out this spring and summer. Was hoping to try some grains for fall/winter but it's turned hot and dry again. Clover doesn't stockpile I don't think.

Just landed a lease with knee deep fescue on half of it. Good bit of blackberries and other weeds though. Should I clip it now or let it go considering the weather? Pic included. Animals won't see it til later this Fall. @kenny thomas

I'd let it go. If the fescue is that deep now, I suspect it went to seed this spring/summer, regrowth would be marginal with good rainfall if you did clip it. If you don't get moisture, the growth you have there now won't come back this fall much at all. The knee deep portion sounds ready for winter now. The real question is what is the risk, if any, in saving/trying to save the current stockpile this far out for this winter? I suspect the only thing might be is that it will be a bit coarser than what typically grows in the fall for winter grazing. It might take a few more cold nights/freezes to improve its palatability and lower toxicosis risk, if that is a concern where you are.

You won't gain anything from clipping weeds and blackberries from here on.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I know I am wrong but 45 years ago I put down Urea on a big part of the farm in early August after clipping it closely. Even then it was being heavily promoted the extension office.
My pastures looked like golf courses and it turned over 90 degrees and did not rain again until November. Needless to say I lost the cost of the urea and had less grass than normal going into the winter.
Like I said, I know I'm wrong but I have always been "once bitten-five times shy" and never tried it again. Always just kept the last cutting of hay for fall grazing.

I'd say you made the right call 45 years ago, the weather just didn't cooperate. In this case though, with the fescue being knee high at this point, I wouldn't put the urea on or clip it.

 

[Logan52]

Yeah, I was not answering Clinch Valley's question I was just commenting on my experience with stockpiling. You answered him correctly.
I have been here on this place with cattle well over 50 years. I started with no money, no equipment and no cattle: just a bank note on my family name at the local bank. A few years later my interest rate jumped from 6 to 15 percent all at once.
I long ago learned to find the most return with the least effort and least investment to be my prime rule: it allowed me to work off the farm, marry and raise a family.
Old habits die hard and have lingered into my retirement.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Yeah, I was not answering Clinch Valley's question I was just commenting on my experience with stockpiling. You answered him correctly.
I have been here on this place with cattle well over 50 years. I started with no money, just a bank note on my family name at the local bank. A few years later my interest rate jumped from 6 to 15 percent all at once.
I long ago learned to find the most return with the least effort and least investment to be my prime rule: it allowed me to work of the farm, marry and raise a family.
Old habits die hard and have lingered into my retirement.

I know. I could tell based on your comment though that you didn't think he should clip it. . I liked your comment though as it shows that even when you do exactly what you are supposed to, it doesn't always turn out the way you want.

 

[kenny thomas]

I disagree on clipping or grazing it. All studies show for my area and ClinchValley86 area that the fescue needs to be grazed or clipped down to 6in to encourage new growth. I finished flush grazing my areas for stockpile today. Will apply Urea next week.
When was it last grazed or clipped? If that's not possible it still will be there come winter.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I disagree on clipping or grazing it. All studies show for my area and ClinchValley86 area that the fescue needs to be grazed or clipped down to 6in to encourage new growth. I finished flush grazing my areas for stockpile today. Will apply Urea next week.
When was it last grazed or clipped? If that's not possible it still will be there come winter.

True enough that it needs to be clipped to encourage NEW growth. I was making the assumption that @ClinchValley86 had gotten the lease for stockpile grazing this winter, which was not explicitly stated. If the intention is to use the area for grazing this fall, still during the growing season, then I would agree that clipping it at this point could be in order. My thinking was completely focused on winter stockpile, which is in line with the thread topic (my reason for having a one track mind here) and looking at the current state of the pasture which holds a good amount of forage already (too early?) that can be held for winter stockpile grazing.

If the pasture is strictly for winter stockpile, that was my reasoning. If the forage is needed now, that's a different story.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

True enough that it needs to be clipped to encourage NEW growth. I was making the assumption that @ClinchValley86 had gotten the lease for stockpile grazing this winter, which was not explicitly stated. If the intention is to use the area for grazing this fall, still during the growing season, then I would agree that clipping it at this point could be in order. My thinking was completely focused on winter stockpile, which is in line with the thread topic (my reason for having a one track mind here) and looking at the current state of the pasture which holds a good amount of forage already (too early?) that can be held for winter stockpile grazing.

If the pasture is strictly for winter stockpile, that was my reasoning. If the forage is needed now, that's a different story.

Animals won't see it til later this Fall

I missed this 4 times!

Ok, it's a little before winter stockpile grazing. This being the case, clip at 6-8" to curtail goldenrod which I think I see some/alot in the photo and get some regrowth. Current forage will likely be unpalatible/low palatability before freeze.

 

[BFE]

I've got a place I've been building fence on, so no cows on it since spring. It's got a solid stand of red clover. I'm banking on that to be enough N for sufficient stockpile growth. What do the experts here think?

 

[StrojanHerefords]

I don't get the idea behind

Don't know if moisture will allow much of it yet again this year Areas with good fescue I've been clipping the weeds down in preparation. Clover is thick enough I'm not gonna worry with urea. Seems a big gamble anyhow right now.

A good chunk of my place the fescue was grazed out this spring and summer. Was hoping to try some grains for fall/winter but it's turned hot and dry again. Clover doesn't stockpile I don't think.

Just landed a lease with knee deep fescue on half of it. Good bit of blackberries and other weeds though. Should I clip it now or let it go considering the weather? Pic included. Animals won't see it til later this Fall. @kenny thomas

Is there a reason why you aren't going to graze that pasture until fall? I don't see the sense in mowing when you can high intensity graze and get the same effect.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I've got a place I've been building fence on, so no cows on it since spring. It's got a solid stand of red clover. I'm banking on that to be enough N for sufficient stockpile growth. What do the experts here think?

The fact that it has a good legume stand is a good thing and tells me you will have positive results as a result, and you don't have to worry as much about the timing of rainfall. The thing about applying urea for fall growth is that it is sort of designed to give a boost above and beyond what is expected naturally. For lack of a better comparison, kinda like a body builder taking steroids. By nature they are going to bulk up. The steroid makes them go above and beyond. You kinda get the same effect when you apply urea early in the spring (I don't recommend) and you end up with grass that grows so fast you end up with grass tetany.

 

[BFE]

The fact that it has a good legume stand is a good thing and tells me you will have positive results as a result, and you don't have to worry as much about the timing of rainfall. The thing about applying urea for fall growth is that it is sort of designed to give a boost above and beyond what is expected naturally. For lack of a better comparison, kinda like a body builder taking steroids. By nature they are going to bulk up. The steroid makes them go above and beyond. You kinda get the same effect when you apply urea early in the spring (I don't recommend) and you end up with grass that grows so fast you end up with grass tetany.

If we don't put any N on in the spring we don't get the greenup I like to see, but I know where you're coming from. I wonder if cutting back to 25-30 lbs N from 50 in spring time would give it a little kick but not too much.

This field looks like a clover patch, it's so thick. There's good fescue below the clover, I'm hoping it will bump up here soon. I was planning on having cattle on it already, but life got in the way, so it will be stockpile. Also have a cornstalk field next to it to turn them onto, plenty of hay, should be set for winter.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

If we don't put any N on in the spring we don't get the greenup I like to see, but I know where you're coming from. I wonder if cutting back to 25-30 lbs N from 50 in spring time would give it a little kick but not too much.

This field looks like a clover patch, it's so thick. There's good fescue below the clover, I'm hoping it will bump up here soon. I was planning on having cattle on it already, but life got in the way, so it will be stockpile. Also have a cornstalk field next to it to turn them onto, plenty of hay, should be set for winter.

I didn't mean to send us off topic by mentioning spring N application, but this will help to address grass tetany concerns. Cutting back N application in the spring will help as not applying any N at all, but better options are probably first, provide a high Magnesium mineral supplement. A second preventative measure is to adjust your calving timing. Adjusting or eliminating N application in the spring will result in minerals (Magnesium) not being quite as diluted in the fresh spring grasses as growth rate will be a bit slower. The following article should help.

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W789.pdf

Graze your cornstalks before you graze your stockpiled fescue. The corn stalks will break down to poor quality in a month's time. Fescue quality should still be good enough that supplement isn't needed until possibly February, and likely not at all. (You'll have to forage test in Jan and Feb to really know)

How short had you grazed the fescue the last time it was grazed? How tall is it now? And how tall is the red clover? Picture?

 

[BFE]

I didn't mean to send us off topic by mentioning spring N application, but this will help to address grass tetany concerns. Cutting back N application in the spring will help as not applying any N at all, but better options are probably first, provide a high Magnesium mineral supplement. A second preventative measure is to adjust your calving timing. Adjusting or eliminating N application in the spring will result in minerals (Magnesium) not being quite as diluted in the fresh spring grasses as growth rate will be a bit slower. The following article should help.

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W789.pdf

Graze your cornstalks before you graze your stockpiled fescue. The corn stalks will break down to poor quality in a month's time. Fescue quality should still be good enough that supplement isn't needed until possibly February, and likely not at all. (You'll have to forage test in Jan and Feb to really know)

How short had you grazed the fescue the last time it was grazed? How tall is it now? And how tall is the red clover? Picture?

I start hi mag in the winter, 60-90 days before greenup.

Yes I graze stalks as early as I can. Try to catch them before much rain falls to take advantage of both grain and stover. I feed hay on stalks when I can, I'd rather have a mess in the field than pasture. I just disk up the feeding area and start over. Try to hit the knobs in the field to add fertility to those spots.

I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

I think every seed of clover came up this year, should be good for the ground.