University of Missouri Extension will hold a Barry County farm tour in mid-June to highlight three successful farm operations that use warm-season grasses in their forage programs. The free tour starts at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 17.
“Gene Cowherd and Rex and Jaron Myers, all of Purdy, Mo., have very successful native warm-season grass stands that are being used in their hay operations,” said MU Extension agronomy specialist Tim Schnakenberg. “Their stands are dominated with big bluestem and Indiangrass.”
Heat- and drought-tolerant warm-season native grasses provide forage for cattle, especially during the summer slump when temperatures rise, rainfall diminishes and cool-season pastures wane, said Schnakenberg. “They also can be outstanding options for high-yielding hay, requiring less fertilizer than other forages and harvested at drier times of the year than when fescue should be harvested.”
Mike and Janan Meier of Monett, Mo., also part of the tour, have been using improved varieties of crabgrass for their former dairy operation and now their beef operation. They have many years of experience using crabgrass as a summer grazing tool.
During the tour, Schnakenberg and the producers will discuss how to convert to warm-season grasses and how to manage them once established. They’ll cover other benefits such as nutrient needs, reduced endophyte exposure and improved summer grazing and hay production.
A meal will be provided, compliments of the MU and Missouri Department of Conservation Native Grass Group. Other event sponsors include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Barry County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Source : missouri.edu