Cover crop for pastures

[Doc]

Would like to hear suggestions for a cover crop for my pastures (cows/equines). Soil test shows pH of 6.5, some areas need lime.

I was thinking of some kind of legume - clover.

I have about 10 acres and some sections are fenced off for rotational grazing this winter (I hope).

Central NC.

[agmantoo]

Doc, It is getting too late in the season to plant the clover. Do that in the Spring. For Winter grazing and as a cover crop consider Marshall ryegrass or cereal rye. You biggest obstacle other than dry weather is finding seed. I had to get seed from a very distant supplier and I got the last he had.

[Ralph in N.E.Oh]

Doc, here in our zone 5 I get good results by planting oats for a cover. I plant in early Oct or late Sept and by Thanksgiving have oats in the milk stage standing about 3 feet high. I graze my sheep until the stubble is about 6 inches tall. The stubble dies back and provides a nice mulch for the growing hay crop.

[KSALguy]

Oats, Rye, or Wheat all are going to be your best bet for such a late planting, back home in kansas they plant wheat late and graze it all winter then harvest in next summer

[Doc]

I've check at the local Southern States. They have rye and ryegrass -- I don't want a pretty lawn, I want a row cover in the pastures.

What's the difference (besides annual vs perennial)?

[okie-guy]

I plant a patch of Hairy vetch in a small pasture. The cows love it and it grows like a weed . It is a legume and adds N to soil. If you pull the cows off and let it seed , then let them back in and they'll reseed it for you! I buy the seed mixed with a Rye to let it climb on something. I usually pay 70 cents a pond for it.

[Doc]

Ok, Okie-guy: is this the time of year to plant it -- zone 7 -- and where do you find it for .70/lb?

[agmantoo]

rye is cereal rye...it grows readily for a cover but is not a quality grazing forage. Barley would be a better choice for grazing

rye grass is a cold season grass that is an annual but will become a perennial in zone 7. The marshall rye grass I mentioned above is a rye grass that is used for grazing (gets taller) and is more cold tolerant.

Nothing is going to come up and grow until this drought breaks.

[okie-guy]

I plant in the fall and put my cows on it after it blooms and seed pods set up like in June. This is only because I plant such a small plot my cows go right to it and eat it down. The guys with big fields leave their cows on it until it blooms and then pull them off and run a havester over some of it for seed (that is where I get mine in 5 gal buckets). I have a friend that bales this stuff and gets an unbelievable amount of large bales per acr.He sent a sample off and it came back 17% protein. I see it alot along interstate highways because it is used as an errosion control. It has little blue flowers and probably is grow up the fences also. It is not a cool season "grass". If you are interested I would call your extension agent and see if he knows of anyone growing Vetch. Then call them for seed. The seeds are a dead ringer for okra seed.

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by okie-guy

I plant a patch of Hairy vetch in a small pasture. The cows love it and it grows like a weed . It is a legume and adds N to soil. If you pull the cows off and let it seed , then let them back in and they'll reseed it for you! I buy the seed mixed with a Rye to let it climb on something. I usually pay 70 cents a pond for it.

I planted hairy vetch last fall as a cover for my new garden. Was wondering if it will come up again this fall?

[dcross]

Originally Posted by Tricky Grama

I planted hairy vetch last fall as a cover for my new garden. Was wondering if it will come up again this fall?

Did you let it set seed?

[dcross]

Originally Posted by agmantoo

rye is cereal rye...it grows readily for a cover but is not a quality grazing forage.

It can make fine grazing when small, before anything else is ready.