Timothy grass?

[scf84]

will Timothy do good in tn, how does it do in heat and grazing?

 

[Bigfoot]

will Timothy do good in tn, how does it do in heat and grazing?

I don't think it stands up well to grazing. IMHO

 

[Lucky_P]

In my experience, It'll only last a year or two in a grazing/pasture setting; you might see a sprig or two here and there for years to come, but for the most part, here, it's almost been a one-and-done deal.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Timothy is not very competitive.
It does best in a wet and cool and non grazing environment.
It's main benefit is that the seed is cheap.

 

[scf84]

dont know about cheap, $120 for 50lbs
i just dont know what else to plant besides k31, clover, and orchard. the fescue just dont hold up too good in summer months.

 

[Stocker Steve]

dont know about cheap, $120 for 50lbs

You need to look at the number of seeds per pound. :shock:

 

[HDRider]

Natives -
http://www.tn.gov/environment/conservat ... /grass.htm

https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publi ... P731-C.pdf

I'd really like to hear what choices you make or others suggest.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I'd really like to hear what choices you make or others suggest.

corn is the most productive grass
some sudan is good for a dry period
otherwise (meadow) fescue if it is damp grazing, or (tall) fescue if it is dry hay

 

[sizmic]

Yes, Timothy is comparetively cheap when you look at the whole picture. Less nutrient uptake, less pounds per acre, dang fine hay, but not good for grazing.

Sizmic

 

[Lucky_P]

Main thing I use timothy seed for is to dilute out clover seed so I can get more even distribution of clover when I'm overseeding for 'frost-seeding'. Timothy and clover seed are fairly similar in size. Any resulting growth of timothy is just gravy.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

 

[Banjo]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

Yes I agree....also if you're in TN you should look at Persist OG. I'm liking it real well.

 

[Bigfoot]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

I'd hate to have land tied up for 3 weeks of grazing a year. Am I reading your post right?

 

[ANAZAZI]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

I'd hate to have land tied up for 3 weeks of grazing a year. Am I reading your post right?

You are reading it right. However; if you graze it like this, it will yield like a hay field. So three weeks a year per section, and the need of your herd tells you how big that section is. This is timothy grass used right and you will see a lot of grazing days per year.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Timothy grass does not handle continuous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better

Timothy is not very competitive, and I think hoof traffic damages the new shoots.

If you want to maximize pasture in this timothy happy area - - you bale graze in late summer to allow regrowth, then go back to grazing after a killing frost, and leave them out there till the ice fishing peak is over and the snow gets deep.

 

[Banjo]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

ANAZAZI a question...are you able to graze year round without hay? Do you feel that a few days to no more than a week is as productive as daily moves?

 

[tnwalkingred]

In my experience, It'll only last a year or two in a grazing/pasture setting; you might see a sprig or two here and there for years to come, but for the most part, here, it's almost been a one-and-done deal.

Lucky,

What a great idea! I just frost seeded some Durana clover but mixed with Ky31. Not sure how we'll it mixed and the Ky31 was not cheap! Guess I will find out in a few weeks. I'll be sure and use your theory on my next go round of frost seeding clover.

Kyle

 

[ANAZAZI]

Timothy grass does not handle continous grazing; however rotational grazing works much better, let them in three times a year, then out again after less than a week.

ANAZAZI a question... Do you feel that a few days to no more than a week is as productive as daily moves?

Not as productive as daily moves, no. Because the cattle tend to eat the sweetest grass first and it gets worse all week, and then their rumen need to adjust back when you move them again.
But simply, timothy grass does not put up new growth as fast as for example orchard grass, so it is safe to graze it for more days from that perspective. However; like Stocker Steve already pointed out, timothy grass does not handle hoof action well so the shorter grazing periods the better.

 

[ANAZAZI]

ANAZAZI a question...are you able to graze year round without hay? Do you feel that a few days to no more than a week is as productive as daily moves?

I might adress the first question as well. No, we do make both hay and silage bales.
And grazing timothy grass is not something we do on this farm. We have two kinds of soil here; one is shallow clay on limestone bed, we grow orchard grass sometimes with clover sometimes just OG, this is at the home farm and we graze most of it sometimes until after christmas time. On completely different soil where it is impractical to graze due to more sensitive conditions, we make hay and silage from a mix of timothy and meadow fescue. Other farmers in the area often graze timothy with dairy cattle as well as stocker/replacement heifers.

 

[Stocker Steve]

On completely different soil where it is impractical to graze due to more sensitive conditions, we make hay and silage from a mix of timothy and meadow fescue. Other farmers in the area often graze timothy with dairy cattle as well as stocker/replacement heifers.

I really like meadow fescue, but if it is to be hay only, why not go with a higher production tall fescue ?