Most of the Midwest had a surprisingly dry fall. This made for an excellent harvest, but how stressed were our pastures going into the winter? The lack of moisture and some sub-zero temperatures without snowfall have us thinking Old Man Winter did a number on our perennials.
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The Case for Clover - Consider Frost-Seeding Legumes this Winter
Frost-seeding clovers into poorly producing or grass-dominated pastures by broadcasting in late winter is a practice that has been done for years. Adding legumes into pasture improves grazing quality and increases the forage amount that can be removed (up to a 50 to 100 percent increase in production when using legumes as a small percentage of the grass pasture).
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Pasture Management Basics
Read MoreSome people try to make pasture management a lot more difficult than needed…Some might think that a pasture that is grazed evenly to the ground, all the time, means that no forage was lost – no…It is really about the management of the forage to achieve the goals of production…
Grazing Considerations in Late Summer / Fall
Read MoreIf you do have any moisture, then it is an ideal time to plant some brassicas for late summer and fall use. Forage type brassicas are highly productive and digestible and usually can be grazed within 75 days after seeding, sometimes earlier. Brassicas need moisture to get started and for speedy growth and good yield. Summer seeded brassicas — seeded now to August — can help supplement forages and also help extend the grazing season.
Meadow Bromegrass vs. Smooth Bromegrass
Have you ever wondered if you should plant smooth bromegrass or meadow brome? Here’s a quick explanation that I gave when someone emailed me that exact question.
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