Page 14 - MWC 8-11-2022s

Late Summer Rains Provide The Midwest Cattleman · August 11, 2022 · P14

Opportunity to Plant Warm-
Season Annuals

By Paul Beck - Oklahoma State University
Drought has impacted pas- ed in the late spring or early
ture forage production and summer for mid to late sum-
hay yields across the region. mer harvest. Recent research
Many producers are faced has investigated using annual
with the choice between sell- forages in novel ways to fur-
ing cows now or feeding up ther extend grazing seasons.
their already limited hay sup- In the Southeast and South-
ply early. Late last week areas ern Great Plains, late sum-
across North Texas, Northern mer plantings of warm-season
Oklahoma and into Kansas annuals have been used to fill
and the Mid-South got nice the gaps in fall forage produc-
rains which can rejuvenate tion.
drought-stricken pastures Annual grasses including
and provide some relief from sorghum/sudangrass, Pearl
pressure to start feeding hay. millet, browntop millet, and ber. Following a frost in late over 2 pounds per day in tests
This rain also provides the op- corn were planted in late Au- November, these forages were in Central Oklahoma, show-
portunity to plant warm-sea- gust of 2018, when these were still 12 to 15% crude protein ing these forages can be an op-
son annuals into crop fields harvested in October 42 days and 61 to 65% TDN for all but tion for high quality pasture
for fall pasture. later yields ranged from 2,500 browntop millet that was only in the gap between summer
Warm-season annuals are pounds of dry matter per acre 51% TDN. grass and fall wheat pasture.
often thought of as emergency for browntop millet and a VNS Grazing of millets, sudan- This year high feed and
grazing and hay crops when corn to over 3,300 pounds of grass, and sorghums should grain prices limit our abil-
late spring and early sum- dry matter per acre for sor- be withheld until they are 18 ity to feed our way out of a
mer hay harvests are lacking. ghum/sudangrass, Pearl mil- to 36 inches tall and rotations drought. Annual forages offer
Annual forage crops such as let, and a brown midrib graz- should be timed to leave 6 to many advantages in design-
millets, sudangrass and sor- ing corn variety. These forages 8 inches of stubble height to ing systems to extend grazing
ghum-sudangrass hybrids were 16 to 18% crude protein enhance regrowth potential. seasons in all environments.
or legumes like cow peas or and 60 to 65% total digestible Grazing can occur as early Annual forages are generally
mung beans are usually plant- nutrients at harvest in Octo- as 4 weeks post planting, but higher in nutritive value than
their rapid growth makes perennials and plantings can
Missouri’s Largest Hereford
Missouri’s Largest Hereford Breeder Breeder ideal management challeng- be timed to fill gaps in avail-
ing.
ability of the dominant peren-
Steers grazing millet and a nial forages in the local envi-
Genetics Selected for:
Genetics Selected for: cover crop forage blend in the ronment.
• • Fescue Tolerance Fescue Tolerance late summer and fall gained
• • Balanced TraitsBalanced Traits
• • Calving EaseCalving Ease
• • FertilityFertility
• • Performance Performance
• • CarcassCarcass

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