2014 Forage GCA Convention Pasture Projects and Management

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1 2014 Forage GCA Convention Average Number of Hay Feeding Days Arkansas 300 Day Grazing Program John Jennings, Kenny Simon, Tom Troxel, Shane Gadberry, Steve Jones, and Don Hubbell 140 Lacefield, et al Hay ProducIon Cost Item $/acre Cost/Bale 2 bales/a 4 bales/a 300 Days Grazing Demonstra?on Program bales/a 10 disk mower $ rake $5.03 Round baler med. $9.30 Total harvest cost $21.78 $10.89/bale $5.45/bale $3.63/bale FerIlizer cost/bale $23.30 $23.30 $23.30 Total producion cost/bale $34.19 $28.75 $26.93 Southern Agriculturist Day Grazing Demonstra?on Results.The farmer who has plenty of grass is the one who will allow it to get a start in the spring and early summer. The stock work on the reserves thru the hot weather. Then in the fall, with cooler weather and..rains,.. pastures again grow vigorously and, if not overstocked, they get another reserve that makes some pasture all winter Some farmers.keep their stock on pasture all year except when snow is on the ground. This is praciced.. through the states of the central South. Over 150 on- farm demonstra?ons in 50 coun?es Over $300,000 in direct savings to producers enrolled in the program Improved grazing management Legumes Reduce hay losses during storage Reduce hay losses during feeding Stockpiled bermuda Stockpiled fescue Winter annuals Summer annuals 1

2 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture the cheapest of all feed is pasture because it furnishes a balanced raion at low cost and the cow does her own harvesing Sweden In comparaively few cases is the fullest possible use made of pasture. What is the most difficult part of achieving a 300 Day Grazing Season? Changing our mindset from a hay- based forage system to a pasture- based forage system Growing a pasture crop takes the same management as growing a hay crop!! Steps toward a longer grazing season 1. Start with an inventory of your forage base 2. Determine what management pracices to add to increase seasonal grazing from your forage base. 3. Add complementary forages to fill in seasonal gaps. 4. Plan forage and grazing pracices ahead for the year. 5. Monitor and adjust forages and livestock as needed Clover #1 Inventory Pasture Composition #2. Beneficial practices to improve seasonal grazing Grass Clover Weeds Bare Ground Tally % Improved grazing managment Reduce hay waste to lower hay need Soil tests to improve fer?lity management Weed control by appropriate measures Stockpiling forages to extend the fall & winter grazing seasons 2

3 2014 Forage GCA Convention Improved hay storage and feeding Hay storage Hay feeding 9.6% losses for barn 13% waste for ring stored hay feeding 25.4% losss for hay 24% waste for uncovered outside unrolling <1% waste for processed hay Strip grazing doubled grazing days on stockpiled forage and saved extra $10/AU vs con?nuous grazing Electric fence construc?on saved 9 producers $14,875 vs tradi?onal fence Hay Feeding Management to Reduce Waste Fed on a TDN basis 85 % u?liza?on 91 % u?liza?on Strip- Feeding Hay to Reduce Wasteg Electric fence Polywire Bales staged along field edge 6% less $3.90/bale Water Source Stockpiled Forages for fall and winter grazing Stockpiling Forages Bermudagrass ü Soil test ü Clean off summer growth by August 1 ü Apply lbs. N in early August ü Defer grazing unil mid- October ü Strip graze to extend grazing period ü Grazing period is Oct.- Dec. County Fescue ü Soil test ü Clean off summer growth by mid- August ü Apply lbs. N by mid- September ü Defer grazing unil December ü Strip graze to extend grazing period ü Grazing period is Dec.- Mar. Acres Savings/AU Total savings AU Grazing Days/Acre 2011 Stockpiled Bermudagrass 3 Conway Faulkner Hot Spring $62.88 $39.41 $99.28 $3,169 $2,601 $4, Prairie 12 $31.30 $2, Faulkner Marion 2011 Stockpiled Fescue 17 $63.23 $1, $22.75 $1, Prairie $53.09 $4,497

4 #3. Add complementary forages when needed. Winter annuals on bermudagrass Brassicas County Acres Savings/AU Total savings AU Grazing Days/Acre 2010 Winter Annuals Faulkner 31 $105 $2, Union 29 $59.92 $1, County AU Acres Faulkner Clements Faulkner Savings/ AU/D Savings/ AU Total Savings AU Grazing days/ac $3.54 $436 $11, * Simon $2.55 $542 $19, * Fulton - Wilbanks Yell - Irwin $2.06 $276 $7, * Brassicas $2.92 $123 $2, * Can produce lbs/a dry maaer 40 to 60 days aber seeding, depending on the species and weather. Yell Garner *Brassicas and Cool Season Annuals ** Brassicas Only 15 $1.57 $23.56 $1, ** Legumes High quality forage Reduce N ferilizer cost Improve quality of pastures and hay Beler animal gains $4,600 savings for 2 producers vs N ferilizaion cost on grass 300 Day Grazing Whole Farm Demonstra?ons RANDOLPH BENTON CARROLL BOONE BAXTER FULTON CLAY WASHINGTON CRAWFORD SEBASTIAN SCOTT POLK HOWARD FRANKLIN MADISON NEWTON JOHNSON POPE LOGAN YELL GARLAND MONTGOMERY MARION HOT SPRING GRANT PIKE SEVIER CLARK DALLAS IZARD SEARCY STONE VAN BUREN CONWAY FAULKNER PERRY PULASKI SALINE CLEBURNE WHITE LONOKE JEFFERSON CLEVELAND LINCOLN SHARP LAWRENCE INDEPENDENCE PRAIRIE JACKSON WOODRUFF MONROE ARKANSAS DESHA GREENE MISSISSIPPI CRAIGHEAD POINSETT CROSS ST. FRANCIS LEE PHILLIPS CRITTENDEN LITTLE RIVER MILLER HEMPSTEAD LAFAYETTE NEVADA COLUMBIA OUACHITA CALHOUN UNION BRADLEY DREW ASHLEY CHICOT Lawrence County Van Buren County Cow/calf & background 90 acres of forage acres/au 55% Fescue/clover - 45% bermuda Rota?onal grazing w/ temporary electric wire Strip- grazes stockpiled fescue & bermuda Overseeds red & white clover Grazing seasons: 335, 350, 275, 324 & 365 days Cow/calf & background 120 acres of forage acres/au 75% Fescue/clover - 25% Bermuda/crabgrass Rota?onal grazing Strip- grazes stockpiled fescue Crabgrass Overseeds white clover Grazing Seasons: 312, 280, 247 days 4

5 Randolph County Cow/calf & stockers 600 acres of forage acres/au 55% fescue/clover - 25% berm/lespedeza - 20% mixed Daily rota?onal grazing w/temporary electric wire Overseeds white clover Grazing Seasons: 310, 300, 260 days 300- Day Grazing Demonstra?on - LFRS Forage Management System Fall- calving herd - 38 cows Wean calves in May & graze?ll July 130 acres of forages (fescue, legumes, bermudagrass 70:30 CS- WS) Stocking rate 2.5 acres/au Pastures have electric fence and water Forage Base on the 300 Day Grazing Projects What happens when it doesn t rain? Key Principle of a 300 Day Grazing Plan Know when your forages should grow and plan ahead to make that happen Good forage prac?ces always work but rain helps Always have a Plan A & Plan B Spring Summer Fall Winter Fescue/clover in spring Stockpiled fescue for winter LFRS Plan A Soil tes?ng Fer?liza?on by seasonal need Rota?onal grazing Fenceline weaning Leader / follower grazing Strip grazing Grazing Seasons: 337, 311, 330, 323 days Bermuda for summer and early fall NE+ Fescue/Clover for weaned calves in spring and lacta?ng cows in fall prior to breeding Plan B - Drought Management and Recovery Subdivide all pastures (2- day allotments = 3 wks) Fer?lize por?on of bermudagrass Put weaned calves on best forage Plan to sell calves early If no rain pull off pasture and feed hay (49 days) Plan for pasture recovery 5

6 2012 LFBS 300 Day Grazing Fall Forage Plan Jul/Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Hay /berm * Johnsongrass Stockpiled Bermuda Alfalfa Wheat/turnips J- grass/fescue Stockpiled fescue Hay/limit grazing Wheat Always plan at least one season ahead because you never know what can happen in 30 days Fed hay 49 days in summer; 37 days in winter; 279 day grazing season Using Best Management PracIces for Reducing Winter Feed Requirements in Southern Arkansas Dr. Paul Beck - SWREC Protocol Con?nuous Moderate SR Rota?on High SR Rota?on Cows per pasture Stocking Rate, AC/cow RotaIonal grazing No Yes Yes Stockpiled bermuda No Yes Yes Interseeded CSA grasses No Yes Yes Effect of Stocking Rate, Grazing Management, and Complementary Forages on Costs and Returns per Cow during 2012 to 2013 Produc?on Year. Item ConInuous Moderate Stocking Rate RotaIon High Stocking Rate RotaIon Costs Pasture Rent Summer FerIlizer Herbicide Mineral Stockpiled Bermudagrass Cool- Season Annuals Hay Fed Hay Harvest Replacement Female Total Cost $404 $451 $402 Hay Feeding Days Returns Calves Cull Cows Hay (Value) Gross Return 954 1, Net Return $550 ($3,300) $595 ($3,570) $502 ($6024) Grazing Days Steps toward a longer grazing season 1. Start with an inventory of your forage base 2. Determine what management pracices to add to increase seasonal grazing from your forage base. 3. Add complementary forages to fill in seasonal gaps. 4. Plan forage and grazing pracices ahead for the year. 5. Monitor and adjust forages and livestock as needed Gepng Started Bermudagrass- based forage system 1. Forage Inventory The producer has 50 spring calving cows. He weans and sells his calves in early October. The average calf weaning weight is 450 lbs. The forage base is 120 acres of bermudagrass. He uses coninuous grazing management. All the gates are open. Pastures have no clover and no appreciable cool- season forages. Pasture producion is low in spring and fall. Bulercup, thistle, and lille barley are significant weed problems. Soil tesing has not been used. He feeds hay staring November 1 unil April 15. Hay is stored on the ground, uncovered. Hay is fed by unrolling bales every 1-2 days. 6

7 2. Improve forage management pracices to extend the grazing season with the exis?ng forages (do this before adding any other forages). The producer has 50 spring calving cows. He weans and sells his calves in early October. The average calf weaning weight is 450 lbs. The forage base is 120 acres of bermudagrass. He uses coninuous grazing management. All the gates are open. Pastures have no clover and no appreciable cool- season forages. Pasture producion is low in spring and fall. Bulercup, thistle, and lille barley are significant weed problems. Soil tesing has not been used. He feeds hay staring November 1 unil April 15. Hay is stored on the ground, uncovered. Hay is fed by unrolling bales every 1-2 days. 2. Improve forage management pracices to extend the grazing season with the exising forages (do this before adding any other forages). Key prac?ces to improve management of the exis?ng forage base: RotaIonal grazing Stockpiling bermudagrass Weed control Soil tesing / targeted ferilizaion Store hay in a barn or cover hay and store bales off the ground Feed hay in ring feeders or unroll for feeding periods one day or less 3. Add complementary forages to fill in seasonal gaps if needed. Plan short term and long- term opions. Key complementary forages to improve this system: Short term - winter annuals (wheat, rye, ryegrass, clover) Long term - Novel endophyte fescue or other cool- season forage Fall transiion - Brassicas/winter annual mixture 4. Plan forage and grazing pracices ahead for the year and get the schedule on the calendar. Key prac?ces to schedule for this grazing plan: RotaIonal grazing - immediately Stockpiling bermudagrass - August 1-31 (northern vs. southern) PlanIng winter annuals - October 1 - November 1 PlanIng brassicas - Late August - September 15 Weed control - November - February 5. Monitor and adjust forages and livestock as needed by keeping records of each pracice. Plans require ac?on Key points to make note of for each season: Responses of pastures and livestock When was stockpiled forage or brassica ready to graze? Winter annual establishment and grazing period Hay feeding beginning and end dates ReducIon of hay waste 7

8 Sepng Farm Priori?es! Improve Cows: 1 Cow influences 1 calf per year Improve Bulls: 1 Bull influences calves per year Improve Forages: Forages influence ALL of the cows, bulls, calves, horses, goats, and sheep every year Goal: To Graze 300 Days 8