What is Normal Forage

[M-5]

What most consider normal forage or summer grass in the deep south is Bermuda , Bahia . I tend to let my fields get a little weedier than most because of the variety for the cows. The tenant that row crops some of our land came by sunday and asked what I thought he should do with the mess he has on about 50 acres he had sprigged in may . I told him I would help him get it cleaned up . The sprigs didn't take because he was a week early planting and we were dry. Huge amount of mature crabgrass , volunteer peanuts , buffalo grass , sand spur, rag weed, pigweed everywhere, sparse areas of Bermuda, coffee weed, in the fence rows lots of poison ivy and I am sure their may be other grasses not mentioned . the cows have been on it for about 4 days and I checked on them yesterday they were grazing like goats. had some eating crabgrass , one heifer had hundreds of sand spurs on her face getting the SS grass . I noticed a couple going from peanut vine to peanut vine pulling it up to get to the nuts. some of the older cows were breaking down the pigweed to get to the tender tops . all of the ragweed had been topped . Now this is not a situation where this is all they have . I have more grass this year that anytime recently they left a perfect field of Bahia to come to this one and still have access to go back. I think a lot of time people tend to spray and kill very good forage. And I will at times spray just to get some weeds they wont eat under control.

 

[shaz]

Probably but I haven't seen any cows eat horse nettle yet so I'm spraying like crazy.

 

[M-5]

Probably but I haven't seen any cows eat horse nettle yet so I'm spraying like crazy.

they wont eat it unless they have no other choice , its poisonous. I have some of that to but I just spot spray

 

[Caustic Burno]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

 

[Jogeephus]

Its almost as if you need to be paying him for grazing or he pay you for cleaning it up. Its like you are doing what the original cattlemen did - turn worthless forage into something of value. Might even prove to be profitable.

 

[M-5]

Its almost as if you need to be paying him for grazing or he pay you for cleaning it up. Its like you are doing what the original cattlemen did - turn worthless forage into something of value. Might even prove to be profitable.

Shhhhhhh , I had to keep a straight face when I said I could help.

 

[Jogeephus]

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: I came close to wetting myself once when someone asked how to kill kudzu so they'd have more grass for their cattle. Multiple stomachs can do amazing things if we just let them.

 

[ohiosteve]

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: I came close to wetting myself once when someone asked how to kill kudzu so they'd have more grass for their cattle. Multiple stomachs can do amazing things if we just let them.

Yep, a properly functioning rumen can turn very undigestible grass into beef.

 

[ohiosteve]

I enjoy seeing some of the wierd things cows choose to eat. Reaching up for certain tree leaves at times. One spring my cows went crazy for multiflora rose leaves. I did notice they were pretty carefully eating those though.

 

[TexasBred]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

Ever, thought about planting something made for deep East Texas instead of Africa, Cheyenne, South America and Florida??? :lol2: :lol: :hide:

 

[Caustic Burno]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

Ever, thought about planting something made for deep East Texas instead of Africa, Cheyenne, South America and Florida??? :lol2: :lol: :hide:

Dallas grass sucks

 

[shaz]

M5...the only weeds I have are things the cows won't eat haha! My cattle have favorites though...their absolute favorite is crabgrass...I have red river and quick and big...don't seem to matter to them. I have fescue...it is the last thing they will go after. Mine like Dallisgrass, and strangely enough will denude a one acre pond of lilly pads. It is a lot of fun watching them graze the middle of the pond for the lilly pads. Actually I lied...the last grass my cows will eat is bermuda grass...no idea why!!!

Tim

I wonder if you could spray something on bermuda to get cows to eat it? Sugar or something?

 

[M-5]

they will eat it when they have too. They prefer it dried in hay .

 

[Ol' 243]

Won't eat bermuda ??? Are you serious ?? Mine love it.

 

[kenny thomas]

An old retired forage specialist told me years ago that 7 different types of forage in the mix was good. Some of that may not produce as good as others and he suggested to promote what done best naturally instead of trying to change to the next big thing.

 

[kenny thomas]

Oh and mine don't like Bermuda either.

 

[greybeard]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

What, you missed out on the Alicia craze?

I thought I'd found a way to save $$ on hay one winter, when I had bought fertilized Jiggs. They didn't start into it good until the last dried up morsel of Bahia was gone.

I have one momma that loves to stretch that neck out and up and munch on American Holley leaves. I can't stand to watch her do it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

What, you missed out on the Alicia craze?

I thought I'd found a way to save $$ on hay one winter, when I had bought fertilized Jiggs. They didn't start into it good until the last dried up morsel of Bahia was gone.

I have one momma that loves to stretch that neck out and up and munch on American Holley leaves. I can't stand to watch her do it.

Mine love tree leaves.
Never paid much attention to kind they like. In the spring they look like giraffes going after the new leaves.

 

[M-5]

Bahia is king in East Texas common Bermuda is queen here. Few try to keep Coastal in hay fields which is very costly.
I am the only one I know that has verified improved crab grass by county agent in the county.
Through the years I have planted African Star,Coastal, Cheyenne ,common Bermuda, Paraguay, Argentine,and Pensacola Bahia looking for better forage. Crab grass has been the most successful on this journey

What, you missed out on the Alicia craze?

I thought I'd found a way to save $$ on hay one winter, when I had bought fertilized Jiggs. They didn't start into it good until the last dried up morsel of Bahia was gone.

I have one momma that loves to stretch that neck out and up and munch on American Holley leaves. I can't stand to watch her do it.

Mine love tree leaves.
Never paid much attention to kind they like. In the spring they look like giraffes going after the new leaves.

Sweet gum, pecan , oak are all favorites in the spring when they are young and tender

 

[Allenw]

For those of you saying your cattle won't eat bermuda, how big is it when you put them on it? Mine will eat common bermuda in the creek bottoms all season long, but don't show much interest in the improved varieties growing in water ways in the fields when turned out after wheat harvest if they have other choices. I've also noticed cattle will eat the top 2 inches off after a frost and keep doing that until they've ate it down to half or so.