It’s that time of year again. The grass has been growing and turning the fields green, and livestock are beginning to show more interest in it than their hay. I think it’s safe to say most of us, if not all, are more than ready to be done feeding hay. In many areas, spring weather is running just a little bit ahead of normal—not dramatically, but enough to get our attention.
What’s a little different this year is how variable the weather has been. We’ve had some warmer-than-normal stretches followed by temperatures dropping back close to freezing. That kind of back-and-forth can be hard on plants. Many people have already seen it with flowers that pushed early and then got burned back and some forage species have experienced the same thing. Conditions can vary quite a bit from one farm to the next and even from field to field, so it is important to base management decisions on what you are seeing on your farm.
In some areas, forages are ahead of schedule, and in some cases quite a bit. They have been able to start collecting solar energy earlier, but those temperature swings and a couple of freezes have taken a toll. That stress may cause some plants to move toward reproductive stages earlier than normal.
Early growth may look good from a distance, but some of it has already been stressed. Add moisture conditions that are running anywhere from average to slightly on the dry side and it’s a combination that should give us pause. There is green grass, and both you and the livestock are eager to utilize it, but there is value in waiting.
Source : osu.edu