What to sow in pasture for winter grazing

[Joey Wahoo]

We love in Southside Virginia and the drought has devastated our pastures. I'm planning to sow some grass in the hopes that there will be something to graze this winter (since we won't have any hay to speak of).

Would love some advice. What should we sow?

thanks in advance

[TulleyJohnMyers]

first you will have to have moisture then i sow wheat with a fertilzer buggie.....needs to have moisture like a rain then sow then another rain.....rain = 1 inch rain.....here we been getting rain of 30 drops in a one foot square.....tjm some ppl plant rye around here but it takes more fertilizer....

[agmantoo]

Your choices for crops to plant PROVIDED it rains before winter are
Barley, Crimson clover, Oats, Rye grass, Rye grain, Triticale, Wheat.

[tinknal]

If you sow wheat or a related specie be sure to supplement extra magnesium to prevent grass tetney.

[genebo]

At our graziers club meeting in Wakefield, VA, we heard about stockpiling fescue for winter grazing. They said it would provide more nutrition farther into the winter than other types of grass.

The timing is perfect. Sow fescue in time to catch the rains that are due the end of next week. Apply fertilizer just before the next rain. If you already have a stand of fescue, hay it now or graze it until September 15, then mow it and fertilize it. Let it grow until you need it.

Your crabgrass will die out at about the time the fescue is ready to grow.

You can plant regular K31 fescue, endophyte-free fescue, or the new alternate endophyte fescue (Max-Q). Max-Q performs the best, but is very expensive.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[Liese]

Originally Posted by genebo

The timing is perfect. Sow fescue in time to catch the rains that are due the end of next week. Apply fertilizer just before the next rain. If you already have a stand of fescue, hay it now or graze it until September 15, then mow it and fertilize it. Let it grow until you need it.
Genebo
Paradise Farm

Where do you get info about rains this far in advance? And how accurate do you find this source to be? I had given up my plans for pasture improvements for this fall and was falling back to frost seeding this Feb. I just didn't want to purchase seed and then have it sit around either in the bag or on the ground.

[genebo]

I trust the National Weather Service. They have a reporting station in Wakefield, VA, about 50 miles from me. They give me a forecast for my zip code.

They're a lot more accurate than the TV stations. They list the percentage of probability of getting some rain, plus list the expected amounts. The TV station will forecast rain. National Weather service forecasts a 20% chance of rain, with an accumulation of less than .1". That's the type of detail I need.

Go here and input your zip code:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...te=VA&site=AKQ

I use a landscape seeder (also called a slicer/seeder) to plant my seed. It puts the seed in a slit that it cuts and then packs the dirt back on top of it. With this seeder, I'm not so dependent upon immediate rain. I get very good germination. If it stays hot and dry, the seedlings will wither and die.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[Liese]

Genbo I did a google on landscape seeders, went thru the 2 pages and it would seem that they are running off a 3 point hitch and are used on a prepared seed bed. Which one do you have and are you using it on an existing pasture? Pricey little beasties too. I'll have to see if rental is an option here.

I have been using Weather Underground, the future rain forecast will be given in %'s but they start out rosy (40-50%) and then as the days progress will become less and less, so I just have stopped looking. This year in our area the rain is happening around us, not on us.

[genebo]

I'm using a Befco Green-Rite seeder that I bought used. I paid $500 for it, then did about $300 in repairs. Now it works very well.

A neighbor of mine bought a newer one than mine, in better shape, for $1000. He's happy with his, too.

I use mine for spring and fall seeding of the pastures. The little bit of old grass that it tears up is quickly replaced by the new grass. I mow first, a few days in advance. That way the clippings dry out and don't clog the rotors.

A side benefit is that it completely destroys any manure pile it hits.

I rented a no-till grain drill before, but didn't get results as nice. The grain drill put seeds in rows 7" apart. The landscape seeder uses 3" spacing.

My seeder is only 5 feet wide, so it takes a couple of hours to seed my 7 acres of grass. I'd hate to have to do 40 acres with it.

I pick up a little extra cash seeding lawns with it. It's almost miracle the way it does a lawn.

Genebo
Paradise farm

[mtman]

your best bet is winter wheat and its a cheap seed rye is just a filler it will keep them alive but not much else

[Mark Williams]

We are in the same boat. We JUST got our first beef today. Luck would have it that we get our first experience with raising a cow in a drought.

Does part fescue and part winter wheat sound like a good balance for the little fella. He was born on Easter.

Wish us luck and any advise appreciated.

Mark

[Joey Wahoo]

Is it too early to plant cereal rye? Winter wheat shouldn't be planted until October, right?

[furholler]

Originally Posted by genebo

At our graziers club meeting in Wakefield, VA, we heard about stockpiling fescue for winter grazing. They said it would provide more nutrition farther into the winter than other types of grass.

The timing is perfect. Sow fescue in time to catch the rains that are due the end of next week. Apply fertilizer just before the next rain. If you already have a stand of fescue, hay it now or graze it until September 15, then mow it and fertilize it. Let it grow until you need it.

Your crabgrass will die out at about the time the fescue is ready to grow.

You can plant regular K31 fescue, endophyte-free fescue, or the new alternate endophyte fescue (Max-Q). Max-Q performs the best, but is very expensive.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

Fescue does well nutritional AFTER the first frost. It is great complimented with Crabgrass. Finishing in winter on Fescue works well. Otherwise ANNUAL Ryegrass is the winner for high-energy cool-season grass. You want the energy (brix) it is better for the animals rumen and helps them retain nutrients. Allan Nation says,"The problem with the onset of hot weather is that most perenial warm season plants lignify and become less digestible and gains drop dramatically." Let us know what you decide. I need to seed as well and am thinking of the Crabgrass/fescue mix. I am told this is great for my part of the country (MO).

[furholler]

Originally Posted by Liese

Genbo I did a google on landscape seeders, went thru the 2 pages and it would seem that they are running off a 3 point hitch and are used on a prepared seed bed. Which one do you have and are you using it on an existing pasture? Pricey little beasties too. I'll have to see if rental is an option here.

I have been using Weather Underground, the future rain forecast will be given in %'s but they start out rosy (40-50%) and then as the days progress will become less and less, so I just have stopped looking. This year in our area the rain is happening around us, not on us.

We've been having a problem like that also. The rain goes North and South of us. Although we got a nice shower last night.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by Joey Wahoo

Is it too early to plant cereal rye? Winter wheat shouldn't be planted until October, right?

It depends on where you are. Here we usually plant Rye around the middle of September.
Wheat can be planted any time from now on into December. Ive also planted Rye that late and it still did OK, but we have mild Winters

[Bearfootfarm]

"Genbo I did a google on landscape seeders, went thru the 2 pages and it would seem that they are running off a 3 point hitch and are used on a prepared seed bed. Which one do you have and are you using it on an existing pasture? Pricey little beasties too. I'll have to see if rental is an option here."

Both Rye and Wheat can simply be broadcast on top of the soil or into existing pasture and will still grow well if there is enough moisture. Just plant extra to compensate for lower germination rates. I do 100-150 lbs per acre.

Broadcasting gives a more even stand than a planter, which tends to give you rows