Forage Management and Options during an Exceptional Drought Dennis Hancock, PhD. Extension Forage...

Forage Management and Options during

an Exceptional Drought

Forage Management and Options during

an Exceptional Drought

Dennis Hancock, PhD.Extension Forage Specialist

UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

Dennis Hancock, PhD.Extension Forage Specialist

UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

OutlineDrought Resources:

Drought Info Page on GeorgiaForages.com Presentations on County Agents Only page

Refresher on Forage Management during Drought: Nitrate Toxicity Peanut Hay The Root of the Problem Re-establishment Nitrogen Management Emergency Forage: Summer Annuals

www.georgiaforages.comwww.georgiaforages.com

Presentations on County Agents Only page

Presentations on County Agents Only page

ID: GeorgiaForagesPW: GAAgentsOnly?

Test Your ForagesTest Your Forages

Nitrate in forage fed to beef cattle.

Nitrate in forage fed to beef cattle.

Forage Nitrate (ppm dry forage)

Guidance

< 4500 Safe to feed with adequate feed and water

4,500 to < 6,500 Safe under most conditions, but if feeding pregnant animals limit to half (1/2) ration

6,500 to < 9,000 Limit to half (1/2) ration

9,000 to < 15,000 Limit to third (1/3) ration

15,000 to < 18,000 Limit to quarter (1/4) ration

> 18,000 Potentially lethal, very risky

Peanut Hay QualityPeanut Hay Quality

Peanut Hay Mineral Content

Peanut Hay Mineral Content

The Most Popular Question in 2007:

“Why are my hayfields green and my pastures

brown?”

Get to the root of the problem.

What you don’t see….

Roots die back

Roots die back even

more

Graze/CutRegrowth

Begins

Graze/CutAgainAdequate

Rest

The Long-Range ForecastThe Long-Range Forecast

Re-establishing Your Pastures

Re-establishing Your Pastures

• Hybrid Bermudagrass establishment Dormant sprigs – Dec. to early Mar. Sprigs with green tops – spring (after

last freeze) to early Aug. Tops/green stems – Jun. – Aug.

• Tall Fescue establishment Sept. 15 – Oct. 15

Fertilization StrategiesFertilization Strategies

Nitrogen recommendations for bermudagrass

• Very high cost ($0.60-0.70/lb of N)• Nitrate worries• Volatilization potential• Residual N?

• Adapt the standard recommendation for non- standard conditions Split applications! Adjust for weather/precipitation patterns


• Very high cost ($0.60-0.70/lb of N)• Nitrate worries• Volatilization potential• Residual N?

• Adapt the standard recommendation for non- standard conditions Split applications! Adjust for weather/precipitation patterns



• For 2008, an appropriate green-up application may be 50-75% of normal recommended rate Example: Hybrid bermudagrass –

Hay: 30-45 lbs N/acre Pasture: 20-25 lb N/acre

• Provides sufficient N to match with available water• Moderates the risk of excessive nitrate levels • Lessens prevalence of summer annual weeds


• For 2008, an appropriate green-up application may be 50-75% of normal recommended rate Example: Hybrid bermudagrass –

Hay: 30-45 lbs N/acre Pasture: 20-25 lb N/acre

• Provides sufficient N to match with available water• Moderates the risk of excessive nitrate levels • Lessens prevalence of summer annual weeds


Common bermudagrass > tall fescue• Proper timing of N is our only tool• Fescue rescue

Rain + N 25 - 30 lbs of N at the first of March 08

– Use 40 – 50 lbs N/a in normal year. 40 - 50 lbs of N in Late Oct. 08

• VERY hard to control this balance when poultry litter is used. More N is released when temps are high =

when bermudagrass is growing better than fescue

Emphasize fall poultry litter application

Common bermudagrass > tall fescue• Proper timing of N is our only tool• Fescue rescue

Rain + N 25 - 30 lbs of N at the first of March 08

– Use 40 – 50 lbs N/a in normal year. 40 - 50 lbs of N in Late Oct. 08

• VERY hard to control this balance when poultry litter is used. More N is released when temps are high =

when bermudagrass is growing better than fescue

Emphasize fall poultry litter application


• Poultry litter apps shift the balance High N-P-K generally favors broadleaf weeds Grasses generally are superior K scavengers,

particularly when N is low. Does not mean we should cut K rates. Nothing wrong with using poultry litter,

but must be aware of weed potential.

• Poultry litter apps shift the balance High N-P-K generally favors broadleaf weeds Grasses generally are superior K scavengers,

particularly when N is low. Does not mean we should cut K rates. Nothing wrong with using poultry litter,

but must be aware of weed potential.

Some Old FriendsSome Old Friends

Photo courtesy of Dr. Ray Smith, TAES

Benefits of Adding Legumes

Benefits of Adding Legumes

A valuable source of N (time-released).

Species

Annual lbs

(N/acre)

N value at $0.55/lb. of

N

Alfalfa 100-300 $55-165

Red clover 50-200 $28-110White clover 40-100 $22-55

Annual clover 50-150 $28-83

The effect of annual clover addition on ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass yields.

The effect of annual clover addition on ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass yields.

Treatment 1965 1966 1967 1968

-------------- dry lbs/acre -------------- Crimson; 200 lbs N/Acre 22500 22300 17500 24500Arrowleaf; 200 lbs N/Acre 24000 21600 16500 27100No Clover; 200 lbs N/Acre 17100 19800 15400 21600

No Clover; 0 N 7700 6600 3500 6200Location: Starkville, MS Source: Knight, W.E. 1970. Agron. J. 62:773-775.

Summer AnnualsSummer Annuals

Emergency Forage BaseEmergency Forage Base

Summer AnnualsPearl millet, sorghum x sudan, sudangrass,

brown top millet, proso millet, etc.

All are hard to dry, some harder than others.

All have nitrate toxicity potential

Sorghums have prussic acid potential

Sorghums should NOT be fed to horses

Seed supply?

Late plantings result in low yields

Pearl millet

•Medium to high yielding, slightly slower growing

•Thinner stems, not as difficult to dry•No prussic acid problems•Tolerates lower soil pH

Pearl millet

•Medium to high yielding, slightly slower growing

•Thinner stems, not as difficult to dry•No prussic acid problems•Tolerates lower soil pH

Summer Annuals

•Forage sorghum High yielding, fast growing Thick stems, difficult to dry for hay

•Sudangrass Medium yielding, fast growing Thinner stems, difficult to dry for hay

•Sorghum x sudan hybrids High yielding, fast growing Still have thick stems and difficult to hay

Other Summer Annuals• Browntop Millet

4000-7000 lbs/acre

• Foxtail Millet

3000-5000 lbs/acre

• Proso Millet

2000-4000 lbs/acre

• Red River Crabgrass

4000-7000 lbs/acre

• Forage Soybean

4000-7000 lbs/acre

Source: http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/panra.htm

Source: http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/panra.htm

Summer Annual Harvesting

• Hay Production (good), baled silage (better), or grazing (best)

• Sometimes difficult to tell if it is dry enough to bale

Must be below 15% Moisture if round baled

• Grazing = boot stage

Usually 18-22 inches in height

• Hay/baleage = early head

Usually 30-40 inches

• Cutting height at or above 8 inches (CRITICAL)

Cutting too low will clip below the growing point.

Hay Production School 2008March 8th

Waynesboro – Burke Co. Ext.

Hay Production School 2008March 8th

Waynesboro – Burke Co. Ext.

www.georgiaforages.comwww.georgiaforages.com

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

www.georgiaforages.com1-800-ASK-UGA1

www.georgiaforages.com1-800-ASK-UGA1

Forage Management and Options during an Exceptional Drought Dennis Hancock, PhD. Extension Forage...

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