1995 Annual Report for FNC95-122
Stockpiling Pasture by Interseeding Annual Rye into Existing Pastures
Summary
Reducing winter feed costs for beef cow herds can be enhanced by an expanded grazing season.
Objectives: Compare three methods of stockpiling forage for early spring grazing: 1) pulling cows off perennial cool season pastures from mid-August to September; 2) pulling cows off perennial cool season pasture in mid-August, interseeding rye (no-till) and reintroducing cows in April; and 3) pulling cows off perennial cool season pastur ein mid-August, spraying with Gramoxone for burndown and no-tilling rye into burned down grass. Control plot would be grazed through November with late April turnout.
Results: A very dry August and September resulted in poor to zero stands of rye. Therefore, no feed advatnage was gained from the rye. Economic results favored th control paddock by $5 to $33 to the acre. Results indicated that eliminating fall grazing does improve early spring growth; however, the extra spring growth did not compensate for loss of fall grazing days.