Forage Crops & Pastures

Forage

• edible parts of plants, other than seperated grain, that can provide feed for grazizng animals or that can be harvested for feeding

• generally refers to more digestible material in contrast to less digestible material (roughages)

Less Digestible than Forage

Roughages

Pasture

a type of grazing management unit enclosed and separated from other areas by fencing or other barriers and devoted to the production of forage for harvest primarily by grazing

Range

land supporting indigenous vegetation that is grazed or that has the potential to be grazed and is managed as a natural ecosystem

Grasses

• herbaceous

• parallel leaf veins

• fibrous root system

• bear seed on elongated seed stalk

• monocots

• do NOT fix Nitrogen on root system

Legumes

• dicots

• seed in a pod

• taproot root system

• have ability to interact with Rhizobium bacteria to fix nitrogen in nodules on their roots

Annual

• germinates, grows, reproduces, and dies in one year’s time

• reproduces only by seed

• soybean, peanut, corn

Annual Plants

soybean, peanut, corn

Perennial

• under suitable conditions can live for more than a year

• can be dormant or die back certain times of year

• recover from tubers, rhizomes, stolons, or may reproduce by seed

Rhizomes

Down

Stolons

← Out →

Vegetative

Warm Season Grasses (& Legumes)

• begin growth or planted in Spring or early Summer

• Make most of their growth during warmest months of year

Cool Season Grasses (& Legumes)

• begin growth or planted in autumn, late Winter or early Spring

• Make most of their growth in coolest months of year

• Slower growth if any during coldest periods

Aftermath

forage grown following a harvest

Residue

forage remaining on the land as a consequence of harvest (can be used as pasture)

Silage

• forage greater than 30% moisture that has gone through a fermentation process in the absence of oxygen

• corn and other comparable crops are stored at around 65% moisture

Haylage

• low moisture silage

• moisture usually between 40% and 60%

Baleage

a type of haylage that has been cut (but not chopped), wilted and then baled with equipment typically used for baling hay

Let’s Make a Plan

• factors

• realize there are differences

• no one is right or wrong

• it will be complex

• write it down

Basic Commodity- Forage

• not just “livestock” just happens to use it

• take it seriously

• treat it like a crop- it IS a crop

• key- focus on “digestible energy”

Use Reliable Information

• experienced neighbors- let go of your ego

• ag related universities

• cooperative extension service

• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

• Farm Service Agency (FSA)

• Grazing Lands Coalition

Timeliness

• Critical in establishment

• Fertilization

• Herbicide and Pesticide application

• Harvesting (grazing or stored forage)

• Eliminate procrastination

Factor- Developing a Forage Program

• think of your forage as a crop

• reliable source of information

• timeliness

• adapted species/variety

• matching crops to need

• maximizing the length of grazing season

Use of Adapted Species and Varieties

• soil type

• climate

• drainage

• use

Poisonous Plant

Lantana

Lantana

• perennial

• found in sandy coastal soils from Texas to Florida

• ornamental shrub (old home sites and orange groves)

• problems can exist in horses, cattle, sheep, and humans (children poisoned from eating berries)

Lantana Acute Symptoms

bloody diarrhea, gastroenteritis, weakness, death in 3-4 days

Lantana Chronic Symptoms

• photosensitization (from liver disease)

• “only 1 pound of leaves needed to kill a cow”

Lantana Management

• systemic weed killer needed

• tough to kill

• mechanical control suggested (mowing multiple times- followed by spraying stumps, fire)

• Glyphosate marginally effective

Matching Crops to Needs

• Nutritional needs of animals using forage

• Hay? Silage? Grazing?

Maximizing the Length of the Grazing Season

grow several crops together that extend the grazing season based on when they grow

Soil Testing and Fertility

• soil test (pasture every 2/3 years, hayfield/production annually)

• Follow recommendations

• Lime! Lime! Lime! (alters pH)

• improper pH= other nutrients become less available

• pH depends on forage

Use of Legumes

consider legumes and their benefits (nitrogen, higher protein, higher energy)

Stored Feed- “To Store or Not to Store”

• If storing, start out with the mentality that you are striving for the best quality

• cost for equipment, harvesting and storage- rising steadily

Grazing Methods

• How will you harvest the forage?

  • continous grazing

  • rotational grazing

  • intensive grazing

Good Forage Programs…

don’t just happen- they are planned!

Important Points

• timeliness

• reliable information

• choose correct species and varieties

• match crops to needs

• attempt to lengthen your grazing season

• soil test and fertilize based on test

• incorporate legumes

• consider stored feed

• look at grazing methods

This is the core philosophy

your forage is a CROP- a commodity