Pasture and Hay Field Renovation

Grazing Workshop at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station April 8, 2014

Mark Landefeld Extension Educator, Monroe County landefeld.6@osu.edu

Is Renovation Needed? • Pasture and hay field performance can often be

dramatically improved by feeding the crop what it desperately needs! - Nutrients N-P-K & Lime

• Take 12-15 random 1 foot square samples to determine the amount of open soil and presence of legumes. There should be less than 10% open soil and at least 2 legume plants/sq.ft.

• 25ft. Tape and record every 6 inches – Bare soil, Forage plant, Weed - If less than 50%

desirable = renovate

What is Renovation? • Renovation means to renew and improve

what currently exists. – The Goal

• Higher Yields • Improved Quality

• It is critical to determine why renovation is necessary!

What is needed for most renovations?

• Soil Test • Lime • Fertilizer • Weed control • Adding seed – Improved varieties

– Legume – Grass

Minimum Soil Test Levels Grasses Grass & Legume mix Available P 30-60 lbs./A 50-80 lbs./A Exchangeable K K= 2(75+ (2.5 x CEC)) lbs./A for all crops Exchangeable Ca 400-16000 lbs./A 400-16000 lbs./A Exchangeable Mg 100-2000 lbs./A 100-2000 lbs./A Available Zn 3.0 lbs./A 3.0 lbs./A

Ways to Add Seed • Frost Seed • No-till Drill • Brillion type seeder • Feed hay

– Unroll hay – Hay rings

Time of Year for Renovation • Winter

– February- frost seeding • Spring

– March/April- depending on soil conditions • Late Summer/ Early Fall

– August/Sept 15th

Other Critical Factors • Don’t overwork the soil

– Excess tillage depletes moisture – Increases risk of surface crusting

• Firm seedbed – Cultipacker

• Seed to soil contact – Press wheels

• Depth of seeding – ¼ to ½ inch maximum depth

Other Critical Factors cont’d

• High quality pure live seed (PLS)

– Improved varieties • Inoculate legume seeds • Calibrate seeder properly • Sow correct amount of seed • Control weed pressure on young plants

– First 60 days is critical

Forage Species Selection • Grasses

• Orchardgrass- yield, regrowth, easy establish • Kentucky Bluegrass- sod forming, persistent, grazing

tolerant • Smooth Bromegrass- winter hardy, high spring yield, sod

forming • Perennial Ryegrass- easy establish, palatable, quality,

graze often • Timothy- easy establish, later maturing, not competitive

w/legumes • Reed Canayrgrass- high yield, flood & drought tolerant, N

scavenger • Tall Fescue- easy establish, heavy traffic, stockpile

Forage Species Selection cont’d

• Legumes • Alfalfa- quality, productive, summer growth • White Clovers- palatable, spreads by stolens, poor drainage

tolerant • Red Clovers- easy establishment, high yields, tolerates

lower pH • Birdsfoot Trefoil- palatable, bloat free, frequent grazing

• Mixtures of Legumes and Grasses • Provides greater stability for production

Add Legumes to Your Paddocks • Why do we want legumes in pastures?

• Diversity of species usually adds tonnage • Decreases need for adding nitrogen • Dilutes fescue and endophyte associated problems • Increases quality of the forage

• Better forage increases livestock performance

Include Legumes in Pastures

Animal performance on grass vs. legume-grass mixtures. *Tall fescue used in each of these studies was endophyte infected. Data from Lacefield & Smith University of Kentucky AGR-26

Include Legumes in Pastures Cont’d

Cow conception rates on grass vs. grass-legume pastures.*Tall fescue in each of these studies was endophyte infected. Data from Lacefield & Smith University of Kentucky AGR-26

Include Legumes in Pastures cont’d

Av. Daily Gain and Gains/Acre of Steers Grazing Tall Fescue & Tall Fescue-Clover Pastures

Hoveland, C.S., et al. 1981. Bulletin 530. Auburn, AL

Renovation of E+ Fescue • Endophyte free (E-) or Novel (friendly) endophyte (E++) • Many forage seed companies have soft-leaved

endophyte free fescue varieties available. These varieties are highly palatable and provide good animal performance. (E-) Examples: Barenbrug Barolex, Ampac Bronson

• The friendly or novel endophyte gives the fescue plant the same hardiness advantages as the toxic endophyte without fescue toxicosis. (E++) Example: Max Q, ArkPlus

Renovation of E+ Fescue • Need an effective strategy to kill E+ fescue and prevent

seed germination/kill newly germinated plants for 1 year. • Herbicide application followed by new seeding within 7-

10 days is NOT recommended if new seeding is E- fescue or other cool season grass species

• Herbicide application followed by a new seeding of E++ fescue within 7-10 days is marginally acceptable

Renovation of E+ Fescue • Soil test and lime/fertilize to meet critical values: soil pH – 6.5, soil P: 50 lbs./A, soil K: 250 lbs./A • Apply glyphosate at 1-3 quarts/acre (41% active

ingredient formulation, 3 lbs a.i./gallon): 1 qt rate for fall application, higher rates for spring

• Plant annual crop: corn, sudangrass, sorghum x sudan hybrid

• Apply late fall or early spring herbicide application • Seed perennial grass species (follow recommended

seeding rates)

Renovation Follow-up • Prevent re-introduction of E+ tall fescue seed from: hay

equipment, brush hogs, winter hay feeding • Prevent re-introduction of E+ tall fescue seed from

manure of livestock grazing E+ pastures (allow 48 hours) • Manage for improved grass species: grazing height, rest

periods

Managing Grazing Heights

Winter Mgmt. or Renovation?

Heavy Use Feed Pads • Heavy Use Pads

– Are we losing enough production to pay for a feed pad?

– Concrete or Geotextile cloth, stone & screenings

• 60-70 ft²/cow or ± 100 ft²/cow/calf pair

Heavy Use Feed Pads cont’d

Heavy Use Feed Pads cont’d

Weed Control • Good Grazing Management

– Don’t allow livestock to over graze – Reduce/Eliminate pugging of fields – Use heavy use pad if necessary

• Keep Fertility and pH at Proper Levels • Use Herbicide(s)

Look at Weed Examples