Take action now to stockpile bermudagrass for winter cattle use

Monday, August 8, 2016

Temperatures may be hitting 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more, but it is winter that should be on the mind of producers looking to stockpile bermudagrass hay.

Research conducted by Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources shows that stockpiled bermudagrass can help reduce cow-wintering costs.

“Harvested forage costs are a large part of the production costs associated with cow-calf enterprises,” said Glenn Selk, OSU Cooperative Extension emeritus animal scientist. “Forage accumulation during the late summer and fall is variable from year to year depending on moisture, temperatures, date of first frost and fertility.”

The OSU research found that 50 pounds to 100 pounds per acre of actual nitrogen fertilizer applied in the late summer has produced 1,000 pounds to 2,000 pounds of forage per acre, with even higher forage totals in some ideal situations.

“Studies between 1997 and 2000 found stockpiled bermudagrass protein concentrations were quite impressive, even after frost,” Selk said. “In November, the range of protein content of the standing forage was 13.1percent to 15.2 percent. The protein held up in December and ranged from 12.5 percent to 14.7 percent, declining to 10.9 percent to 11.6 percent in January.”

General recommendations resulting from the study include:
● Remove existing forage by haying, clipping or grazing by late August.
● Apply 50 pounds to 100 pounds of actual nitrogen fertilizer per acre, but conduct soil tests to make certain as to the actual amount a pasture may need.
● Defer grazing until at least late October or early November.
● Control access to forage by rotational or strip grazing to cut waste and extend grazing.
● If cool season forage is available for use in the winter, use the stockpiled bermudagrass first.
● Supplement with 2 pounds of 14 percent to 25 percent protein feed beginning in early December.
● Provide a free-choice mineral – 6 percent to 9 percent phosphorus and Vitamin A – with a trace-mineral package.

Anyone seeking additional information about the OSU bermudagrass study is available by reading the 2001 OSU Animal Science Research Report, accessible via the Internet at http://www.beefextension.com/research_reports/2001rr/index.htm.

Further information about forage quality is available by reading the 1999 OSU Animal Science Research Report, accessible via the Internet at http://www.beefextension.com/research_reports/1999rr/17.htm.