October is an important transition month in the pasture
Posted on Monday, October 13, 2008
October is really an interesting month in the grazing world. All the summer grasses are still green and are slowing down in production, and now the coolseason grasses have started back also. This must have been a record year for forage growth in our area. Four grasses come to mind that management plays a big part in during October.
Johnson grass has surely made itself known in the county this year. This forage has the potential to produce a lot of forage, and it has certainly done so. There are both Johnson grass haters and Johnson grass lovers in our part of the world. Most of the haters have lost animals because of this grass, or their family before them lost cattle to it. If they haven't lost animals, they have certainly been frustrated by trying to get it dry enough to put it in a bale of hay.
October can be the month when we get our first frost. This first frost causes Johnson grass to become one of the causes of dead cow disease. Be prepared to move animals off Johnson grass after the first frost until the plants have had time to fully die and turn brown. The onset of frost causes prussic acid to be found in Johnson grass and other sorghumsudan type grasses. These are wonderful forages when they are safe, but they can also be very deadly.
This first frost causes a great change in crab grass as well. Crab grass also has its share of haters. However, it is actually a very valuable forage grass in our area. Try to use all of it up before frost. After frost, animal preference for this grass changes dramatically. Cattle will simply quit eating it. Much more than other grasses on the farm.
That should give producers another reason to avoid October fescue. During October fescue fields are full of leafy regrowth, which appears great for cattle. Actually it's not if it is our typical fungus-infected Kentucky 31 fescue. During October, the levels of toxins in this plant produced by the fungus can be very high. These toxins are responsible for all the things you hear about, including decreased circulation, lowered reproductive rates, foot problems and reduced growth rates.
Graze up the crab grass and Johnson grass during October and stay off the fescue until after Thanksgiving. Later in the year, all the plant growth will still be there but the levels of toxins will reduce significantly. This is a great time to strip graze this fall forage.
Our other common pasture grass is at a very high quality time in its production cycle if it has been managed right. Bermuda grass produces its most nutritious growth late in the season. The work that has been done in Benton County by Robert Seay and producers in that area has repeatedly shown that the highest quality hay is produced late in the season for Bermuda grass.
Of course, if you're looking for something other than these four, fall is a great time to plant ryegrass, wheat, rye and white clovers in pastures.
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