Jan. 7, 2010 - A long, dry summer may be giving way to a cold and wet winter over much of the state, making this winter a critical time for livestock producers. Ron Leps, a former Texas AgriLife Extension agent and a forage consultant for several livestock and dairy operations, said a wetter-than-usual fall and early winter is helping bring back pastures in South and Central Texas, but he expects to see some loss of pastures this spring.
"I think we're going to see some die-off grass this spring," Leps said. "We're coming off the drought, and now we're having what looks like a cold, wet winter. Both the improved and native grasses have been grazed hard for quite a while now. In some cases, I think we might see as much as a 30 percent die-off. One of the advantages now is we're seeing a lot of winter grass coming upI think every seed known to man germinated this fall."
That's a contrast to much of the last two years when an extreme drought and extended periods of high temperatures devastated pastures and forced many producers across the state to cull their herds and adjust their stocking rates downward. Those who have overseeded with rye grass to produce some winter forage should see the benefits of that, especially if the rains continue. However, Leps warned there can be drawbacks to the practice.
"It (overseeding) looks like a good management tool, and it can be, but we have to remember that we are double-cropping grass when we're doing that, and in some cases with a grass that is not native to some soils," he explained. "Rye does most of its growth in February and March, so you have to decide if it's worth it to get a month to six weeks of feed out of it. It really depends on the individual operation, and what kind of soils you have."
Leps recommends aerification (also called aeration) to help pastures that have been compacted during the drought. Aerifying the soil consists of perforating the soil with an aerator that punches evenly-spaced holes in the ground. The holes allow water and fertilizer to get closer to the roots.
"Aerification helps rejuvenate the earth," he said. "2009 was one of the more stressful years we've seen in quite a while. It's important to take care of the root system to preserve the integrity of the plant."
Larry Redmon, a forage specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension, has long recommended clover and other legumes as a good use of pastures in the winter, noting that more than 20 percent of the overall cost of owning a cow consists of winter feeding costs.
Redmon recommends planting ryegrass with the clover to provide earlier grazing than a field of only clover. If clover is planted by itself, it will provide forage by early March, but a pasture with ryegrass and clover should be ready to graze by around the first of February.
"You can reduce winter feeding costs and get improved animal performance with legumes," he said, adding that clover programs also help suppress weeds. "It costs about $175 to feed cows hay for 75 days, but only about $75 to feed clover. The problem with that strategy the last couple of years has been that clovers and other legumes don't grow during a drought."
As for the cattle that feed on the grass, Steven Hammack, a livestock specialist in Stephenville, said there are no special considerations for the cattle after a drought, unless the cows came out of the summer in poor body condition.
"If the cows came out of the drought in poor body condition, they will need higher levels of energy," he said. "The choice of a supplement depends strictly on what is needed. If the cows are in good condition, a little extra protein may be all that is needed.
"If the cows are thin, they'll need a combination of energy and protein. The most common combination energy protein supplement is a 20 percent breeder cube. But it must be fed at about twice the amounts of a high-protein supplement -- about 40 percent or so protein -- supplement."
Hammack also recommends separating the cattle if there is significant variation within the herd in body condition and/or stage of production because their nutritional needs will be different.
"Thin, lactating cows will need more supplement than dry cows in good condition," he said.
