There are several ”classes” of reserve forages that are available for grazing livestock beginning in September and going forward through winter. It is critical to take inventory of forage reserves now to determine what is on hand and what is expected to be produced; the kinds, classes and quantity of livestock to be fed; and how to make the best use of available forages during the next few months. There are different preferential uses of reserve forage, especially when forage is limited. For this article, the classes of reserve forage to be discussed are categorized as residual pasture, stockpiled introduced pasture, stockpiled native range, stockpiled fescue, small grains winter pasture, ryegrass and spring annual pasture, and hay. The discussions will focus on usage following the first frost of the season.
mall grains winter pasture is one option that producers can use as a reserve forage for fall, winter and spring grazing. Residual pasture is the forage present in a grazing pasture at any given time. After frost, in most cases, it is recommended to make good use of the residual forage in the grazing pastures before using other forms of stockpiled grass or hay. This means to graze the leaf material to a desired residue height.
Residue is the amount of plant material remaining at the end of the grazing season. The more residue remaining going into the winter, the greater the benefit to the pastures the next spring. However, to be efficient and assuming a good pasture stand, the desired residual height is usually 3 to 4 inches for hybrid bermudagrasses (Coastal, Midland 99, Tifton 85, etc.) and introduced bluestems (Plains, B-Dahl); 6 to 8 inches for native grasses; and about 4 inches for fescue. The purpose of the residue is to maintain a layer of insulation across the soil surface, protecting the live plant tissues from the cold and the soil surface from erosion. Usually, residual pasture at frost is most suited to mature cattle since quality is fair to poor (the exception being fall-fertilized introduced pastures), but it can be efficiently utilized with proper supplementation.
Stockpiled introduced pasture
Stockpiled introduced pasture is defined as the production of an introduced pasture (usually a hybrid bermudagrass) that was fertilized in late August or early September after being grazed or hayed short, and then deferred from grazing until after frost. With a couple of inches of rainfall following application of 50 pounds of nitrogen (N) per acre, an additional 1,500 pounds of fresh growth can be attained before frost. Often, forage quality is equivalent to a high quality hay – over 12 percent crude protein (CP) – and is ideal for weaned calves, yearling calves or wet cows. Forage quality remains high as long as there is leaf material available to graze or until leached out, as happens in a wet winter. Stockpiled introduced pasture is most efficiently used in limit-access grazing or strip grazing, allocating a portion of a pasture for a short graze period (one to three days). This prevents excess trampling and shattering of the fragile leaf material as cattle walk across it. Stockpiled introduced pasture should be fully grazed by early February since forage quality usually declines rapidly thereafter.
Stockpiled native range
By definition, stockpiled native range is native range pasture that has been deferred from grazing for all or a significant portion of the growing season. If the native range is in good or excellent condition, the forage makes good standing hay for mature, non-lactating cattle with some supplementation. Forage quality is not usually very high, often less than 6 percent CP, and declines as the leaf material is removed from the stand. However, the forage tends to remain more upright, making it more easily grazed late in the winter as compared to introduced pastures. A desired residue height of 6 to 8 inches is recommended following grazing to protect the growing points from excessive exposure to the winter cold.