When do you brush hog?

Help Support CattleToday:

Clint_Johnson

Clint_Johnson

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2022
Messages
11
Reaction score
43
Location
Mound City Ks,
Living here in SEK, we have all fescue pastures. For years my family has always waited until late summer to mow the pastures. I have had some people tell me that if you mow just before it heads out, that you will have better grass as it is forced to keep growing. I have also noticed that we seem to have some eye trouble and I was curious how much having the long dry stems from the fescue may be contributing to that. Does anyone here have any thoughts or advice? Thanks in advance.
 
I just finished up. I try to get it before the thistle and other weeds seed out.

What Kenny does is better. I farm, so until we finish planting I don't have a tractor free for the bush hog, and also have spraying to do before I can start on pastures.
 
If I have time at the right time I try to spray over the fields that need it to combat the weeds. I can take the mist blower and cover a field in just a few passes and I make it strong, also I am blessed with good neighbors that I want have a problem. If the cattle keep the grass eat down there will not be many grass seed heads to cut, but if there is I set the bush hog up high and cut the tops off hopefully before it seeds out. Also with the price of fuel and everything else bush hogging can get expensive so for sure this year it better need it bad. A couple days bush hogging with good luck the inputs and wear and tear will cost you a calf. I maybe the only person that looks at it like that, but my last diesel tank fill up is going to last a little longer.
 
Last edited:
I never mow fescue to remove seedheads. One grazing rotation is cows grazing off the mature seedheads. Sheep, too. If I mow, it is for weeds. This year I sprayed and will not mow. It took the same amount of fuel to spray all pastures that it would take to mow one of the bigger pastures. And the spraying is more useful to grow forage in place of weeds. In a drought or dry times, the seedheads and stems keep hot and drying wind off of the forage. And I know it has to increase the collection of dew from trialing strips left alone and strips mowed. The unmowed strips can grow and be grazed much longer. And they recover quicker after a rain. Dew is the unrecorded precipitation that really helps in critical times.
 
kenny thomas said:
I try to have mine cut by the first of June. It helps with all the things you.mention plus the fescue toxicity is more concentrated in the seed head so getting it gone keeps them from eating the seed heads.
Click to expand...
Yup. We graze fescue here, also. And while the first of June would be ideal, some of us aren't retired (Kenny!) and are happy to get it done by the first of July!
 
simme said:
A low dose application of Chaparral herbicide at the correct time is supposed to stop fescue from developing seedheads and therefore lower the toxicity. Has anyone tried this? I would expect that uniformity of application and overlap issues would come into play.
Here is one article on the subject. Supposed to increase weaning weights and decrease open cows.
Click to expand...
Easier to select cattle genetics to shed and tolerate the fescue. Last two years: 45 and 47 day calving season and few opens. It just takes devotion to the cause.
 
simme said:
A low dose application of Chaparral herbicide at the correct time is supposed to stop fescue from developing seedheads and therefore lower the toxicity. Has anyone tried this? I would expect that uniformity of application and overlap issues would come into play.
Here is one article on the subject. Supposed to increase weaning weights and decrease open cows.
Click to expand...
I have not but I will test it next year
 
I believe it's better to for grass growth, weed control, pinkeye prevention to mow early and then again in the fall, but that's not real practical or doable for me, so it just gets done once in late summer/early fall. We are selecting for cattle that can handle it.
Like has been mentioned it's expensive in terms of fuel and maintenance. I have been hiring it done the last couple years, and honestly by the time breakdowns on our equipment is figured in it's not much more to hire it out. This year it will be more expensive due to fuel costs. Supposed to have ours mowed next week.
 
Clint_Johnson said:
Living here in SEK, we have all fescue pastures. For years my family has always waited until late summer to mow the pastures. I have had some people tell me that if you mow just before it heads out, that you will have better grass as it is forced to keep growing. I have also noticed that we seem to have some eye trouble and I was curious how much having the long dry stems from the fescue may be contributing to that. Does anyone here have any thoughts or advice? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Why aren't you cutting and baling it?
 
simme said:
A low dose application of Chaparral herbicide at the correct time is supposed to stop fescue from developing seedheads and therefore lower the toxicity. Has anyone tried this? I would expect that uniformity of application and overlap issues would come into play.
Here is one article on the subject. Supposed to increase weaning weights and decrease open cows.
Click to expand...
Some guys here used Chaparral a few years ago. I think they stopped but don't know why. I'll investigate.
 
Clint_Johnson said:
It's pasture ground that has cattle on it all year. There is one patch that buts up to some of our soybeans that we fertilize and hay it, but the most of our ground is kinda hilly and rocky in spots.
Click to expand...
Well if it's too hilly or rocky I get it... I would rotate my pastures in NW AR and get a cutting of hay off them in cycles so anything I could, would get baled up at least once a year.
 
Extension agent says that Chapparal does inhibit seed head formation but repeated yearly use will negatively impact grass.

I've tried to tip graze this year which means speeding up rotations in spring. It works but its more work and not so uniform as bush hogging. So to answer the question I'll bush hog either in May or early June for seed heads or as needed in July and August for weeds like marestail and thistle

Ebenezer I've only been doing this for 5 years but buying or developing fescue tolerant cattle has been quite difficult.
 
dave_shelby said:
Extension agent says that Chapparal does inhibit seed head formation but repeated yearly use will negatively impact grass.

I've tried to tip graze this year which means speeding up rotations in spring. It works but its more work and not so uniform as bush hogging. So to answer the question I'll bush hog either in May or early June for seed heads or as needed in July and August for weeds like marestail and thistle

Ebenezer I've only been doing this for 5 years but buying or developing fescue tolerant cattle has been quite difficult.
Click to expand...
I have been doing this for 50+ years and you just have to go with what works and forget the huff and puff of promoters.
 

Similar threads

T
Do any of you farmers/ranchers know what this is for?
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
Twisted
T
Hogfarmer10
Would you be scared?
Replies
9
Views
233
Ebenezer
E
C
best summer grass seed when mid central Texas
Replies
14
Views
2K
acefire
A
wbvs58
When your hot your hot
Replies
8
Views
643
coachg
coachg
Rafter S
Feeding cows when you don't have enough hay
2
Replies
26
Views
3K
Brute 23
Brute 23

Latest posts

Top