ARDMORE, Okla. - As commodity prices increase and the amount of hay available decreases, many agricultural producers are concerned about feeding their cattle until spring of 2013.
"Winter pasture, while expensive and traditionally used for stocker cattle, may fit a producer's cow management system because of recent drought circumstances," said David Annis, soils and crops consultant. "However, producers must make some important decisions before planting."
First, producers must determine which winter forage is best suited for the pasture's soil texture. Wheat and cereal rye are the most commonly planted winter forages seen in Oklahoma and Texas said Annis. Wheat is better adapted to heavier soils and lasts longer in the spring, while cereal rye is a better fit in sandy soils and usually provides earlier grazing in the fall. Producers must also determine how much winter forage to plant. "A general rule of thumb is to plant one acre of winter forage per 1,000 pound cow," Annis said.
Farmers and ranchers should then collect and analyze good soil samples to determine the soil's fertility and pH. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied prior to or near planting. Nitrogen application depends on when the forage is needed. "For fall forage production, producers should apply nitrogen either at planting or soon after emergence," Annis said. "Nitrogen should be applied in late winter (Jan-Feb) for spring forage."
The next step is to prepare the seedbed. Stand establishment is best in a weed-free, clean-tilled seedbed. However, this is the most expensive method and increases the possibility of erosion.
To prepare minimum-till seedbeds, suppress existing vegetation by grazing, haying, mowing or treating with a herbicide, following by disking and planting. No-till seedbed preparation is similar to minimum-till but without the disking. "A word of warning: plant residues or an abundance of weeds can seriously interfere with no-till planting," Annis said.
Next, producers need to decide what method to use for planting. Two options for planting are drilling and broadcast seeding. Drill planting provides improved plant spacing, lower seeding rates, better seed to soil contact and proper seeding depth. Broadcast planting involves spreading the seed over the seedbed surface, then incorporating it into the soil with a disk, culti-packer or other light tillage equipment.
The last step is to select a forage variety with enough available quality seed. Variety selection can be complicated by lack of seed availability depending on the year. "Try to find a variety that has produced well over several years in university trials in a location similar to the seedbed soil," Annis said. "Using a good quality planting seed is just as important as using the right variety."
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Winter pasture may fit into a producer’s cow management system as a hay replacement. Producers must make some important decisions before planting.