What to do with tall pasture grass?

[ClinchValley]

What do you all do with pasture that has grass thigh-high? Cutting it for hay this year doesn't appear to be doable. I started rotating the herd this spring, and it is definitely working better than not. We have a 30 acre pasture field that has grown grass very well. Cattle just aren't putting a dent in it. This summer it will be cut into 4 smaller sections. Hopefully start cutting hay off of half of it next year.

My question though, is what should I do with the existing tall grass? There is enough to make hay, but we just aren't able this year. My thoughts were to mow it down possibly, with a brush cutter. Or at least cut it high to knock the seeds around. Figured it couldn't hurt.

With the weather we have been having, I assumed it would be best to cut it and let more grow. Thinking the felled grass would go back into the ground.

 

[ClinchValley]

Or just let it be?

 

[Ebenezer]

I'd let it alone.

 

[cowboy43]

We have had so many drought years I think it is mortal sin to cut a blade of grass.

 

[M-5]

I would put up a temp fence in front and behind and make them eat a section at a time what they don't eat will get trampled down.

 

[M.Magis]

I suspect what ClinchValley is talking about aren't actually blades of grass, but rather the "stems" of grasses such as orchard grass, fescue, timothy, and such. The cows will eat all the blades down, but won't eat the stems unless they're very hungry. The pasture will look like it's full of grass, while there's not nearly as much as it appears. Mowing them down will help fresh blades to grow as well as help minimize eye problems, but I can't say it's worth your fuel or not.

Edit: M-5 was posting at the same time. Partitioning them off is probably the best overall way to deal with it.

 

[hurleyjd]

Shred it and new grass will grow plus any seed will be there from the heads for nest year. Keep doing this and the pasture will get better each year.

 

[ClinchValley]

M.Magis got me right… I There is a good bit of grass yes. But the seeds are high and thick! Got some mature weeds in the mix. Probably go to seed soon too.

M-5 - Plans in the mix to divide the pasture up into 4 sections. We have plenty of diesel. But am short on fencing materials. Been collecting what I can. Be a month or two before I have enough to do it. Just didn't want it to waste.

It it a very thick stand of clover, timothy, orchard, and fescue. Few wild grasses in the mix. Just very thick and tall.

HurleyJD - That was my thinking when I started the thread. Cut it just low enough to get rid of the stemmy stuff.

As usual, thanks...

 

[ClinchValley]

Cowboy - Its rained every other day here so far. Could go away tomorrow, i know. But its been WET. Everything is growing like its on steroids…

 

[kenny thomas]

I am just across the mountain from you and have some of the same issues. I started bush hogging the grass a couple days ago but adjusted it to cut high so as not to cut the leaves so much as just the stems. If we keep getting the rains the leaves will grow much better.
Plants are made to grow and produce seed and if you just leave it then the plant thinks it has done its job for the year and slows down growing. Keep it trying to reproduce and it will get healthier.

 

[Bigfoot]

Closer to fall, I'm not opposed to just letting it stand. I'm opposed to clipping anytime. This time of year, I'll either buy some calves to eat it, or bale it. I've spent the better part of my life trying to grow it. I'm not going to just bushhog it down.

 

[dun]

A couple of things about clipping. If you cut it so that you just take off the tips of most of the leaves it will grow better. You have to watch how high you cut the stems. If they are too long you coan end up with eye ulcers from poking the eye with the stem ends. Got the shirt!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We had to do that here. Hardly any rain early in spring, with cooler temps, sent the grass (fescue and orchard) right into seed production. I waited for it to get right to the ripening point, then went in with the brush hog at the highest point to take the stems down and knock the seeds off. Man, it looks great! We then got a bunch of rain and it has sense grown like no other! With manage intensive grazing, I used to move them every 36 hours. Now they take 3 to 4 days to eat each section! That is 20 cows with calves on about a 1/2 acre strip. It is so thick, I can not find the new calf born a few days ago unless he is up and moving! Darn thing hides pretty good!

 

[kenny thomas]

A couple of things about clipping. If you cut it so that you just take off the tips of most of the leaves it will grow better. You have to watch how high you cut the stems. If they are too long you coan end up with eye ulcers from poking the eye with the stem ends. Got the shirt!

I totally agree with Dun on this.
If you have any fescue toxicity getting rid of the seed heads helps that a lot. It is more concentrated in the seed head.

 

[slick4591]

When my rye grass turns brown is when I mow. By then the coastal is up and going and cutting it sends the runners out. If I didn't mow I'd feel like I'm not taking care of my pasture. In fact, I'll be mowing at least one small pasture this week.

 

[Jabes0623]

I just brushogged the stems & seed heads off of about 25 acres of pasture. The pasture has been neglected for years & I had it limed & fertilized a few days before I cut it. I'm hoping that the combination of naturally stimulating the growth through brushogging combined with the lime & fertilizer will really make the pasture jump up & I can get a really nice what will basically be second cutting of hay.

 

[Banjo]

Mowing will stimulate more growth and prolong the grazing somewhat of the cool season grasses that are there now such as fescue. The stimulation of the fescue will hold back the warm season grasses that are there with the exception of Johnsongrass maybe.
Same thing in the fall. Mowing the warm season grasses to stimulate more growth will retard or delay the cool season grasses.
IMO....let each seasonal grass grow to maturity which slows down its growth so the next seasonal grass can come on.

 

[Ebenezer]

Mowing of tall pastures of, say, mainly fescue, controls which annual weeds and which woody species?

How many of us have seen fescue pastures thicken up because we mowed off the mature seedheads?

What is the average success rate for thin fescue pastures being overseeded with fescue seeds via no-till?

Which pastures dry out the worst in a drought: mowed or unmowed?

 

[True Grit Farms]

Mowing of tall pastures of, say, mainly fescue, controls which annual weeds and which woody species? Mowing bahia grass suppresses dog fennel, briars and persimmon trees here in middle Georgia.

How many of us have seen fescue pastures thicken up because we mowed off the mature seedheads? Don't have fescue here but mowing bahia grass makes it thick. Just look what mowing your yard does for growth.

What is the average success rate for thin fescue pastures being overseeded with fescue seeds via no-till? No experience with fescue.

Which pastures dry out the worst in a drought: mowed or unmowed?

I can tell you that cutting my at 5-6 inches during our drought has promoted growth.

I'm sure it's a regional thing, but what works in one place isn't guaranteed to work somewhere else.

 

[dun]

I can tell you that cutting my at 5-6 inches during our drought has promoted growth.

I'm sure it's a regional thing, but what works in one place isn't guaranteed to work somewhere else.

Clipped at a proper height and timing will thicken fescue in following years because it is pretty much being reseeded. Also the height will make a difference on if it drys out or not. The main advantage is eye irritation mitigation/elimination. It also increases organic matter vs haying. Grass that is clipped to just take off a little bit of the leave also encourages growth. Even hay fields don;t suffer much from mowing if the stubble is left 3-4 inches, not much different than grazing it.