Summer Annual Grasses Are Dry Weather Pasture
NEWARK, Del. “Recent dry
weather may limit the availability
of quality hay and summer
pasturage this year,” predicts
University of Delaware extension
agronomist Dr. Richard Taylor.
This means that, in many cases,
farmers with beef, dairy or sheep
operations need to consider then
choices for temporary pasturage
or emergency hay or silage crops.
Summer annual grasses are one
answer to the problem, Taylor
says. These include the millets
(pearl, proso, Japanese and
browntop) and sorghums (grain
and forage sorghum, sorghum
sudangrass hybrids, sudangrass
and sudangrass hybrids). Pearl
millet is more sensitive than the
sorghums to cool temperatures at
seeding, so it should be seeded only
when soil temperatures remain
above 60 degrees F. It also
tolerates high humidity and plant
pathogens better than the
sorghums.
Summer annual grasses can be
drilled, broadcast, sown in rows or
sown no-till, the agronomist says.
“The narrower the row spacing,
the heavier the seeding rate should
be.” Heavier seeding rates up to 50
pounds per acre also encourage
smaller stems, which allow for
faster drying. Normal seeding
rates range from 20 pounds to 40
pounds per acre. Rates should be
at the high end of this range for
EPP Gets Jump
(Continued from Page C 5)
activity if weeds are allowed to
emerge before EPP.
EPP is most beneficial in no-till
soybeans or sorghum, Martin says.
However, some farmers are trying
it in conventional tillage systems
to reduce tillage trips and thus soil
compaction. It may be an area of
future growth for EPP ap
plications, he adds.
“In a conventional system, a
farmer may be able to use an EPP
application, make one tillage pass
and then plant,” Martin says.
“Early pre-plant herbicides are
long-lasting, so at planting the
herbicides have had sufficient time
to control weeds.
“Early spring tillage does the
most damage,” Martin says. “It’s
wetter, you get more compaction,
erosion, breakdown of the soil
structure, and you’re stirring up
weed seed. For farmers looking at
a way to cut costs, using EPP may
be one of them. Plus, with the early
spring rains, farmers won’t be so
rushed to get the crops in.”
All of the advocates of EPP
recommend trying it first on a
small plot, leaving a test strip in
the middle for comparison. Ap
plication of EPP is influenced by
local weather conditions, soil
texture and the organic matter in
the fields, so advocates recom
mend that farmers consult their
chemical dealer, custom ap
plicator, local extension specialist
and/or university for more in-
formation.
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3816 E. Newport Road ■
Gordonville, PA 17529 ■.
on Rt. 772
large-seeded (and large-stemmed) .
and at the low end for Summer grasses respond readily
species such as to Utilization Fertilizii^
systems wider U P to 200 Pounds of nitrogen
5 nHHhiuf'’ rTwI P® r acre increases yields linearly,
row spacmgs will help reduce However at hicher nitroeen rates
animal damage.” Taylor says. f Dh Ta D £^^^
“but seeding rates will need to be growth a n rSced
increased. If frequent harvesting
is contemplated; research hal nutnUon, and to avoid mtrate
“Several problems are
rSfISS 11810 associated with summer annual
percent over east-west rows. production,” Taylor says.
Mechanical damage to summer •
annuals may reduce yields on These . delude potential nitrate
r. poisoning and prussic acid
some soils such as silt loams, he (cyanide) noisonine
cautions. “If possible, during
harvest limit thennmher nf trim When nitrogen IS applied too
dose to harvest, or when cloudy
heavy equip t ove an we ather and/or drought conditions
area. To prevent soil compaction, occur after heaw nitrate fer
also try to avoid harvesting when
.tilization, excessive mtrates may
the ground is wet. accumulate in plants,” he ex-
Summer annual grasses mil lains to
felTn' * ave this potential. Nitrate ac
fertile soils. But use soil tests to cumulation is also greater from
determine the amount, of
phosphorus and potassium to monilun sulfate or urea . After
appiy. High forage yields wiU doudy weather> several suc .
remove about 60 pounds to 100 cess i ve days of bright sunshine
founds of phosphorus an acre and f should re / uce nit J e leve i s in
150 pounds to 250 pounds of potash. plants dr ht conditions
For lactatuig dairy cows, severe p reva ji »
JSJS
potassium soil test level, ,he„
cows are fed forages grown on *
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nitrate fertilization programs may 20 inches or taller, and sorghum
cause toxic nitrogen dioxide to types are 24 inches to 30 inches or
accumulate in the silo a gas taller.
potentially fatal to the farmer and “Don’t graze new regrowth that
also harmful to livestock housed develops after a frost or period of
close enough to be exposed, dry weather,” he cautions. “Also,
Heavily fertilized silage should after a frost, let plants dry out
therefore be tested to determine its completely before feeding. These
nitrate level. This enables the grasses can be safely made into
manager to blend various forage silage and haylage, since the time
rations so as to dilute the nitrate to involved in the ensiling process
an acceptable level. allows for the release of the
Potential for prussic acid ac- cyanide so that little if any
cumulation is lowest in the millets, remains in the preserved forage.”
followed by Piper sudangrass, and Do not graze horses on
then other summer annual grasses sudangrass or sorghum-sudan
in the sorghum family. “Prussic grass hybrids. These crops cause a
acid levels increase rapidly with condition in horses known as
drought stress and are also highest cystitis syndrome,
in new growth,” Taylor says. To Finally, Taylor says one choice
avoid poisoning, graze green for grazing oats at 2to 3 bushels
forage or chop for greenchop when P«r acre. Oats will grow better
sudangrass plants are 18 inches to than the summer annual grasses
during cooler fall weather.
Central 4-H Dairy Club
Jim Shaw demonstrated showing
and clipping of dairy animals to
members of the Central 4-H Dairy
Club during a recent meeting at
the farm of Jane and Rod Thomp
son.
Club leader Shirley Trimmer
provided plenty of calves washed
and ready to practice on After
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Shaw’s demonstration, each
family worked on clipping a calf as
if to prepare it for a show.
Following this, Shaw gave in
dividual advice and talked about
how each group did.
The meeting will help members
prepare for 4-H Roundup this
month at the York Fairgrounds.
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