Year Round Grazing: Part 3 - Fall Forage Strategy

Back in February, when the wind was howling, the days were more dark than they were light, and while many people were still covered in snow we began the discussion around a season long grazing strategy. We started with spring grazing; some things to consider during those first months of growth after the cold winter season. Then in March we ruminated on summertime grazing, mix ratios, species selection, stockpiling forage and perennial pastures. 

Now here we are in the heat of the summer, hopefully putting all that sunshine energy to good use. But capturing sunlight and grazing livestock doesn’t end when the 80 degree days fade away. The fall months offer one last chance to capitalize on sunshine and warmth before much of the country plunges into the bitter cold winter. Of course some cover crop species, namely cereal rye, can still grow at 34 degrees and beneath snow cover, but those aren’t ideal conditions for growing ample amounts of biomass for hungry livestock. Instead, we rely on fall warmth and sunshine to round out the growing season and propel us into the winter months. 

Winter Stockpile Mixes and Managing Prussic Acid

Winter stockpile mixes offer an excellent opportunity to capture the remaining growing degree days of late summer and fall and turn that into high quality forage that will hold its value for grazing during the tough winter months. When planning your winter stockpile mix, you should consider how to  manage for prussic acid. Prussic acid accumulates in most sorghum and sorghum sudan varieties when the plants freeze. The prussic acid accumulates in large amounts in the leaves and can cause serious toxicity issues for livestock. Plan to move animals off of this type of forage for 10-14 days while the sorghum or sorghum sudan dries out. This is a great time to move animals to cool season perennial pasture or annual forage that’s well established and ready for animal impact.

Match your species selection to your time of planting

Summer species are loving the heat right now, but they won’t stand up to any sort of frost. Cool season species, however, are made to handle those sub-freezing temperatures and can last well into the fall even after hard frosts put the warm seasons to bed. The key to growing abundant fall, cool season forage is getting your mix planted about 6-8 weeks before your first frost. Of course we can’t predict the exact date, but your average frost date is a good rule of thumb to go by. In the midwest, this means planting sometime in August so your mix has plenty of time to grow before a hard frost in October. These timings vary greatly from region to region so check the stats for your area and keep an eye on the long range forecast. 

If you plant in August, adding a few warm season species such as grazing corn or cowpeas can help you capture what’s left of the heat and sunshine from the summer. Incorporating spring oats or peas into your late-season blends is another strategic move. While these varieties will eventually succumb to the winter freeze, they respond vigorously to the remaining heat, producing biomass more rapidly than their overwintering counterparts. Because you’re planting a fall mix, however, it’s important that the bulk of the mix be made up of cool season grasses, legumes, and broadleaves. 

As summer comes to a close and September begins, leave out any warm season species and stick to cool seasons exclusively. These varieties will function best in the warm days and cool nights and continue growing as the air continues to cool off. Cereal rye, annual rye, triticale, hairy vetch, winter oats, clovers and brassicas are the best options for this time of year. 

Even a later planting in October or November can provide some grazing opportunity before it gets too cold. Though not ideal in the northern half of the US, graziers farther south can use those months to establish hardy cool season annuals. 

Options with perennial pastures

If you have access to perennial pastures, especially cool season pastures, now is the time to use them. Cool season perennials will emerge from their summer slump and ramp up growth again. Giving livestock access to perennial forage in the fall means they’re  utilizing the highest quality forage. 

Establishing perennials

Late summer into early fall is an ideal time to plant perennials. If you don’t have any perennial forage available and you graze livestock, consider adding these continual growing species to your forage chain. While they take some time to establish, once they’re growing they are relatively maintenance free as long as they aren’t damaged by overgrazing. 

Grazing stalks

Another common practice during fall is grazing crop residue, most commonly corn stalks. Recycling dead plant matter through a ruminant animal cycles nutrients and distributes biology across the crop fields. Corn interseeding is becoming more and more common among regenerative farmers and can be done either in early summer, around V3-V5 stage or in late summer or early fall when the corn plants are dead and drying. Brassicas and some cereals broadcasted into a standing field of corn will germinate quickly, have adequate access to sunlight because the corn canopy is quite thin, and provide high quality forage to complement the high fiber corn stalks. If you choose to go this route, it’s helpful to use only small seeded species such as brassicas or unhulled cereals such as triticale, cereal rye and forage wheat. Sending the pivot over the new seeds or timing your planting right before a rain will also help ensure the seed makes adequate contact with the soil. 

While summer might be the best time to grow forage, don’t discount the opportunities that fall weather brings to provide continued forage through the growing season. Cool season annuals establish quickly and tolerate freezing temperatures. Perennial pastures are likely to rebound and produce substantial biomass during these months as well. Get creative with the resources available to you and your operation. Take advantage of grazable crop acres, and move your livestock often to encourage regrowth. Take the necessary precautions around prussic acid and nitrates, but don’t let those issues deter you from grazing long into the fall and even winter months. If you’d like to chat with someone about your fall grazing plan, give us a call at 402-469-6784 or send us a message.