STOCKTON, Mo. – “The previous drought and over grazing has left pasture stands thin and possibly in need of renovation,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. Davis urges cattle producers to utilize summer annuals as a tool to thicken pasture stands or begin the renovation process of cool season perennial pastures. Davis discusses summer annual grasses and legumes that can be seeded now to help promote proper grazing during the summer months.
“Crab grass, pearl millet, and sudangrass are summer annual grasses that can be seeded now to strengthen the summer grazing rotation,” says Davis. Furthermore, if plans are to renovate cool season pastures, pearl millet and sudangrass are good forages to seed to help begin the spray, smoother, spray renovation process. These forages provide grazing in the summer months to fill in the cool season grass slump. Davis advises cattle producers to checkout MU Extension guide G4661 “Warm-Season Annual Forage Crops” at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g4661 as well as visit with your local MU Extension agronomy field specialist to discuss proper seeding and establishment of these summer annuals.
“Begin grazing crabgrass at 8 to 10 inches and don’t graze lower than 3 inches,” says Davis. Crabgrass can typically be grazed approximately 30 to 45 days after planting.
“Begin grazing sudangrass at a height of greater than 24 inches to prevent prussic acid poisoning in cattle,” says Davis. Since pearl millet does not cause prussic acid poisoning in cattle, begin grazing it at a height range between 18 to 30 inches. Davis urges grazing these forages approximately 45 to 60 days after planting and do not graze them below 10 inches.
“Nitrate toxicity can be an issue with sudangrass and pearl millet during summer drought,” says Davis. Consult your local MU Extension livestock field specialist for cattle and forage management strategies to reduce potential nitrate toxicity issues.
“Lespedeza is a summer annual legume that if seeded in April can thicken thin cool season pasture stands and strengthen the pasture grazing rotation during the summer months,” says Davis. This non-bloating legume mixes well with cool season pastures, is drought tolerant, and helps dilute fescue toxicosis issues which helps cattle perform better and be more profitable on fescue pastures. Even though lespedeza is an annual it will come back each year if allowed to reseed itself. Find more information on annual lespedeza in the MU Extension guide G4515 “Annual Lespedeza” at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g4515.
“Optimum grazing in a cattle operation is important to the bottom line,” says Davis. For more information on utilizing summer annuals to promote optimum grazing contact your local MU Extension Agronomy or Livestock Field Specialist.
