Pasture and Forage Minute

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Amid ongoing market volatility, some producers may be exploring additional income opportunities, including leasing hunting access. This often raises an important question: Who holds the hunting rights when land is leased?

For written cropland or pasture leases, hunting rights can be specifically addressed in the lease agreement. If the lease does not reserve those rights to the landowner, they generally belong to the tenant for the duration of the lease.

The same is typically true for verbal cropland leases. Unless the parties agree otherwise, hunting rights usually default to the tenant because the tenant has the right to possess and use the property during the lease term, including the right to exclude others, even the landowner.

Verbal grazing and pasture leases are somewhat different. Because many of these leases end before hunting season begins, hunting rights often return to the landowner once the lease expires. However, if a verbal grazing lease remains active during hunting season, hunting rights generally belong to the tenant for the duration of the lease unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Landowners do not automatically retain hunting rights simply because they own the property.

Written leases are the best option to avoid misunderstandings, landowners and tenants should clearly address hunting rights when negotiating lease terms and review applicable Nebraska law regarding verbal cropland and pasture leases.

For today's Pasture and Forage Minute, I'm Nebraska Agricultural Economist Shannon Sand.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Allowing for alfalfa to winterize before dormancy is a key factor preventing winter kill across a stand. Traditionally, my recommendation has been to time the last cutting for roughly 6 weeks before the first frost. 

Growing degree days can give us another way to look at that decision, but there has been an important update to numbers I’ve shared in the past.

Previous recommendations used 500 and 200 growing degree days with a base temperature of 41 degrees. A review of the original research found those numbers came from Celsius-based growing degree days and weren't properly converted to Fahrenheit. Using base 41 Fahrenheit, the correct thresholds are about 900 and 360 GDD.

With more than 900 GDD remaining before a killing freeze, alfalfa should have enough time to regrow and replenish root reserves. With fewer than 360 GDD remaining, there generally isn't enough time for significant regrowth to draw those reserves down. That leaves 360 to 900 GDD as the higher-risk window for harvest.

For eastern Nebraska, the University of Wisconsin’s Alfalfa Cutting Tool can help. Select the Upper Midwest map, your location, and then the Season Planning tab. Currently, coverage only extends into roughly the eastern quarter of Nebraska.

For areas farther west, the High Plains Regional Climate Center’s CLIMOD tool can be used to look at historical base-41 GDD and killing-freeze dates for nearby locations.

Finally, stand condition and stress over the growing season should also factor into any late-cutting decision.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Pastures and hay meadows provide higher quality feed, are more productive, and require fewer inputs when they have good forage legumes growing in them.

Outside of moisture, nitrogen is often the limiting nutrient in pasture production.  While commercial fertilizer may be a quick and easy option, it’s costly.  Instead, let’s grow our own nitrogen using legumes.

Do you have a pasture area or hay meadow that is relatively free of weeds and makes up no more than about 15 percent of your total pasture acres?  If so, here is what I want you to do.  From now until that grass will grow no more this year, graze that grass hard.  Grub it down, then graze it some more. 

Now why would I recommend overgrazing?  Surely it will hurt the grass.  Well, that's exactly what we want.  Next spring, you will interseed legumes like red clover, white clover, and alfalfa into that grass to make it more nutritious and productive.  We may even consider a winter frost seeding if conditions are right. 

The biggest challenge to establishing legumes into a grass sod is competition by that existing grass on new, slow growing legume seedlings.  Anything you do to reduce competition and slow down grass growth will help.  Overgrazing this fall prior to next spring’s seeding will weaken the grass and slow its spring growth, thus giving new legume seedlings a better chance to get started. Areas that experienced drought this summer may have seen unplanned overgrazing this summer, interseeding may be a way to make some lemonade out of that particular lemon. Of course, all this depends on moisture next spring to work. 

While you’re at it, also collect some soil samples.  Then analyze them and apply any needed fertilizer.  Legumes especially need good phosphorus and the proper soil pH.

So, add some legumes to your pasture next spring.  Graze your grass this fall until virtually nothing is left.  Then, keep grazing a couple weeks more just to make sure. Legumes you add next spring will establish better because of it.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Cheatgrass, sometimes called downy brome, or wild oats, is an annual weedy grass that can be a problem in pastures, particularly in central and western Nebraska.

Cheatgrass often invades thin or overgrazed pastures in fall and early spring.  Livestock dislike grazing it after it becomes mature and over time it can take over and create large patches in a pasture.

Research by the University of Nebraska evaluated herbicides for controlling cheatgrass.   Products containing rimsulfuron and imazapic can provide good control of cheatgrass from a single application, but control can vary widely from year to year depending on when the application is made, plant maturity, and weather patterns.  A one-time management operation, utilizing grazing, mowing, or a non-residual herbicide, usually does not have a lasting impact on the cheatgrass in the seedbank. To reduce the seedbank, control needs to be close to 100% and repeated over several years.

Rejuvra™ is a new rangeland herbicide product from Bayer that works differently from existing cheatgrass herbicides. Rejuvra™ has limited activity on emerged plants and only controls seedlings as they germinate, so it is best to apply Rejuvra™ in early fall before seed germination.  This herbicide can provide control up to two years post application.

For warm-season grass pastures, you can use glyphosate herbicides after top growth of these grasses has gone dormant due to a hard freeze or two.  This can kill emerged annual brome seedlings or other cool-season species without harming the desirable grasses.  With any herbicide, always read and follow label directions.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator, Samantha Daniel.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

After several dry falls in a row, this year may be shaping up a little differently. With recent rains and cooler weather, cool-season pastures like brome, bluegrass, and fescue could put on some extra growth. That’s good news — but it also raises the question: do we graze it now or save it for later?

Grazing now can ease feed pressure and provide high-quality forage before crop residues open up. Stockpiling, on the other hand, sets up feed for late fall or winter and cuts down on hay use.

But remember — fall is when grasses rebuild root reserves and set buds for next spring. After repeated drought stress, some pastures could use extra rest. If you’ve been battling weeds, that’s a red flag that recovery time is needed.

If you do graze, rotate quickly and leave at least four inches of stubble on cool-season grasses. Overgrazing now can slow green-up next spring, while stockpiling uses forage later when plants are already dormant.

Fertility also plays a role. While the window for nitrogen is nearly closed, a small application with moisture can still boost growth. Phosphorus and potassium don’t add fall yield, but they support root health, persistence, and winter survival.

This fall may offer a rare opportunity for extra grazing. Managing it wisely can fill feed gaps today without sacrificing productivity next year.

With today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Late summer is often when annual grasses like foxtail, sandbur, and barnyardgrass become especially noticeable in pastures. They commonly show up where grass stands are thin, animal traffic is heavy, or overgrazing has left open space.

By this time of year, control options are limited. Annual grasses are difficult to selectively remove from established grass pastures, and many plants are already producing seed. If seed has not matured, mowing may help reduce seed production

Long-term control starts with maintaining a healthy, competitive pasture. Proper stocking rates and adequate recovery between grazing periods help desirable grasses fill open space and reduce opportunities for annual grasses to establish.

Where annual grasses remain a problem, identify the species and plan ahead. For many summer annual grasses, herbicide control means using a labeled pre-emergence product next spring, timed before germination. Once plants emerge, selective control in a grass pasture becomes much more difficult.

Annual grasses may be easy to notice now, but late summer is often too late for much direct control. Focus on limiting seed production, improving pasture competition, and planning for earlier control next year.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Did you spray thistles this past spring or summer? If so, it may be worth revisiting those areas. New plants or regrowth may have shown up, and late September through early November can be a good time for thistle control in pastures and hayland.

For biennial thistles like musk, plumeless, bull, and Scotch thistle, look for small, flat rosettes close to the ground. Controlling these rosettes now can prevent plants from bolting, flowering, and producing seed next year.

Canada thistle is a little different. This creeping perennial spreads through both seed and an extensive root system. Fall is one of our best opportunities for control because actively growing plants are moving nutrients back into their roots for winter, helping systemic herbicides reach that underground system.

Several herbicides are labeled for thistle control, including GrazonNext HL, Milestone, Chaparral, DuraCor, and Tordon 22K. Product effectiveness varies by thistle species, so match the product to the weed and site being treated. For current options, rates, and restrictions, check Nebraska Extension’s EC130 Weed Management Guide and always follow label directions.

Remember, one fall treatment probably won’t eliminate an established problem. Scout again next spring and continue timely control to prevent seed production and reduce the infestation over time.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As temperatures cool this fall, don’t be too quick to shut irrigation off on alfalfa, especially if the soil profile is dry.

Alfalfa water use drops considerably as temperatures cool. During peak summer growth, plants may use around a third of an inch of water per day, while fall demand may drop closer to a tenth of an inch. While that may seem like a reason to stop irrigating, it’s worth a closer look.

Fall irrigation in alfalfa has two benefits, but both depend on having room in the soil profile for additional water. Because alfalfa is a perennial and can continue growing into the fall until a hard freeze, adequate soil moisture can help plants maintain healthy roots and prepare for winter. Fall irrigation can also rebuild soil moisture depleted during the growing season. Alfalfa has a deep root system, and water stored deeper in the profile can provide a valuable reserve when growth and water demand increase again next summer.

Irrigate based on soil moisture, not the calendar. If the profile is already full, adding more water provides little benefit. If soils are dry, fall can be an efficient time to rebuild those reserves before freeze-up.

Also keep soil texture in mind. Coarser soils may take water quickly but hold less, while finer-textured soils generally hold more water but may take it in more slowly. And don’t forget to keep local irrigation restrictions in mind.

For more information, see Nebraska Extension NebGuide G1778, Irrigation Management and Crop Characteristics of Alfalfa.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As we move into fall, many producers may be looking at harvesting forage from summer annuals like sorghum-sudan, forage sorghum or millet. While these crops can provide valuable feed, making dry hay this time of year can be challenging.

Cooler temperatures, heavier dew and fewer daylight hours all slow drying. Add thick stems and reduced sunlight intensity, and getting hay down to a safe storage moisture can be difficult. Pushing harvest without a good drying window increases the risk of mold, heating and even fire in stored hay.

If dry hay is still the goal, several practices can help. Mechanical conditioning or crimping stems speeds moisture loss. Spreading forage in a wide swath exposes more material to sunlight and airflow. Cutting high, leaving around 8 to 10 inches of stubble, also keeps the windrow off the soil and improves airflow underneath while leaving more of the nitrate-prone lower stem in the field.

Even with these adjustments, fall drying windows can be tight. Silage or baleage may be better options when forage is too wet or stems are slow to cure. Stockpiling growth for grazing later in the fall can also reduce harvest risk, although forage quality will decline as plants mature.

Keep forage safety in mind as well. Sorghum, sorghum-sudan and sudangrass can present prussic acid concerns following frost and when stressed, and summer annuals under stress may also accumulate nitrates. If conditions suggest a risk, testing before feeding is a good precaution.

As you plan fall forage use, match the harvest method to weather conditions and forage maturity. Dry hay may still work with a good weather window, but silage, baleage or grazing can provide useful alternatives when fall drying becomes difficult.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

There are a couple of leasing options for producers and landowners. Verbal leases are a common form of lease agreement. However, if someone is considering terminating a verbal lease, there are some dates and rules to remember for those with crops vs. pasture verbal lease agreements. The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that the lease year begins March 1 for year-to-year verbal leases. Notice to a tenant to vacate under a verbal or handshake year-to-year lease must be given six months before the end of the lease or no later than September 1 for crop production. It is recommended that Registered Mail™ terminate the farmland lease. This means the person receiving the letter signs for it, providing evidence that the termination notice was received. 
 

Handshake or verbal leases are different for pastures. The typical pasture lease is for the five-month grazing season. The lease is only in effect for that time, so the lease is terminated at the end of the grazing season. However, different lease length arrangements can be made in a written lease. 
 

In all instances, written leases would be preferred over oral or “handshake” leases. Sample leases are available in the Ag Lease 101 library at Ag Lease 101 dot org and can help both parties start thinking about the appropriate lease conditions for their situation. 

For today's pasture and forage minute I am Nebraska Agricultural Economist Shannon Sand
 

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Drought can leave dryland corn with little grain potential but still considerable forage value. Before writing those fields off, grazing may be one way to capture some value with livestock.

First, check crop insurance and herbicide restrictions. Contact your crop insurance agent before grazing or harvesting a damaged crop, and review labels for every herbicide applied. If products were tank mixed, the most restrictive forage restriction applies.

For short, vegetative drought-stressed corn, grazing can be a practical option. Nitrates are a concern, but cattle tend to select leaves and upper portions of the plant first, while nitrate concentrations are greatest in the lower stalk.

Turn cattle onto the field full and provide clean water. With earless corn, giving cattle access to a larger area instead of tight strip grazing lets them selectively graze and reduces pressure to consume lower stalks.

Once ears develop, grain intake and acidosis become a greater concern, so controlled access may be needed.

Corn that reaches maturity but still isn't worth combining may also have value for grazing this fall or winter. If that's a possibility, start planning now for water, fencing and field access.

Drought-stressed corn isn't automatically a loss. Grazing may provide a practical way to turn a poor grain crop into useful feed.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Silage is a cornerstone feed for livestock across Nebraska. Knowing its value is critical for making sound management decisions, whether budgeting for your own operation or selling to a buyer.

UNL research shows that corn silage standing in the field can be valued per ton at 7.65 times the price per bushel of corn when harvested at about 65% moisture. This multiplier is consistent regardless of corn price. Using $5.00 per bushel as a current round-number example, that puts silage standing in the field at $38.25 per ton. Producers can substitute their own local harvest corn price when making this calculation.

The standing value accounts for not having to combine or haul grain to market. When we start looking at silage in the silo, harvest, hauling, packing, and storage costs need to be added.

The 2026 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates publication shows an average rate of $13.50 per ton for harvesting, hauling, and packing silage. Add that to our $38.25 field value, and we come out to $51.75 per ton in the pile. Adding $5 per ton for storage brings the value to $56.75 per ton.

If we want to take it one step further and value silage delivered from storage to the bunk, we also need to consider shrink. Dry matter losses during fermentation, storage, and feedout can range from 10 to 20% or more. With 10% shrink, our $56.75 silage has a value of about $63.06 per ton delivered to the bunk, before any additional trucking costs.

Silage pricing will always shift with markets and costs, but running the numbers can give you a clearer picture of the value of this important feedstuff for your operation.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

While dry conditions can result in high nitrates in annuals, drought isn’t the only thing that may cause nitrate issues. Shade, frost, hail, and herbicide damage can all contribute to high nitrate levels. Grazing forages that have high nitrates can be successful, but how it is done can mean the difference between life or death. 

Grazing growing cover crops or annual forages with higher nitrates is possible because the fresh forage releases nitrates into the rumen slower than a dry forage like hay. Some specific bacteria can also use the high energy to utilize the nitrates directly. Allowing these microbes to adapt gradually to higher diet nitrate levels is critical to the ability to safely handle otherwise toxic levels later on. Grazing aids in this as the slower rate of dry matter intake on fresh forages allows microbes to better keep up with incoming nitrate amounts. That being said, grazing is still a calculated risk. 

To minimize risk, make sure cattle are turned out full with plenty of water and consider using lower risk cattle such as stockers. Adapt the animals slowly by starting in the lowest nitrate fields first or stocking lightly and avoid force-grazing of the lowest portions of the plant where nitrates are more highly concentrated. Another consideration is to supplement energy in the diet, like low amounts of grain, while adapting cattle so that the rumen microbes can convert the nitrate into bacterial protein more efficiently.          

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator, Samantha Daniel.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Timing the last fall cutting of alfalfa can be difficult. Producers need to balance the value of another harvest against stand health, winter survival and vigor next spring.

A traditional guideline has been to give alfalfa about six weeks of uninterrupted growth before a killing freeze. For much of Nebraska, that has meant targeting around Sept. 1 for the final regular cutting.

A more precise way to look at the decision is with growing degree days. Research using base-41°F growing degree days found two useful thresholds. If at least 500 growing degree days remain before a 24°F killing freeze, alfalfa generally has enough time to regrow and prepare for winter. Once fewer than 200 growing degree days remain, there usually isn't enough regrowth to significantly draw down root carbohydrate reserves.

The greatest concern is harvesting between those two points. Cutting then can stimulate regrowth that uses stored carbohydrates without leaving enough growing season for plants to fully replenish those reserves.

How much risk a field can tolerate also matters. Older or thinning stands, fields cut frequently during the season, or stands stressed by drought, insects, disease or poor fertility should be managed more conservatively. Younger, healthy stands planted to winterhardy, disease-resistant varieties can generally tolerate more stress.

If additional forage is needed this fall, don't rely on the calendar alone. Consider the condition of the stand and how much growing season remains. Either provide enough time for plants to regrow and winterize, or wait until plants are close enough to dormancy that little regrowth will occur.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

December 1 may seem like a long way off, but it’s just around the corner. Before we know it, it will be time for family to visit, holiday preparations to begin, and producers to make decisions about Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage insurance, commonly called PRF.

PRF insurance provides producers with the opportunity to insure 70% to 90% of the expected grid index precipitation, in 5% increments, across a series of two-month intervals throughout the year. PRF is an area-based insurance plan that covers perennial pasture, rangeland, or forage used to feed livestock.

PRF provides producers with a risk management tool to help manage the risk associated with the precipitation needed to produce forage for their operation. However, it is important to remember that PRF does not guarantee that a pasture will produce a certain amount of forage.

With the December 1 deadline approaching, producers should give themselves time to review their acres, rainfall history, coverage levels, selected intervals, and premiums with their insurance agent. If pasture or hay ground is one of your operation’s biggest resources, when was the last time you looked at how you are protecting it from drought?

Now is the time to think about whether you want to make any changes to your PRF coverage. Some questions I encourage producers to ask themselves include:

• Did my operation change?
• Did I add or remove pasture?
• Did my grazing strategy change?
• Are my selected intervals still the most important months for my operation?
• Has my need for drought risk protection changed?

These are just a few questions to consider when reviewing your PRF coverage. Don’t wait until December 1 to start the conversation. Take some time now to review your coverage and talk with your insurance agent about whether your current PRF policy still fits your operation.

For more information about PRF, visit cap.unl.edu or contact your local crop insurance agent.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Agricultural Economics Educator Shannon Sand.

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Silage harvest for fully irrigated full-season corn usually begins 45 days or 800 GDD’s after the tassel / silking growth stage. However, growing conditions and the season length of the plant itself can make predictions based on the calendar fuzzy at best.

Accurately assessing whole plant moisture is key to proper silage pile fermentation and tight packing. If silage is too dry; then, packing is difficult and may allow oxygen into the pile causing overheating, mold/yeast/bad microbe growth, and spoilage. When the silage moisture content is too high, piles can weep with valuable energy and nutrients flowing out as a loss from the pile. Also, damaging clostridia bacteria colonies can grow when silage is too wet. So, target silage storage moisture content should be 65-70% moisture. 

Another factor to consider for silage chopping is milk line (a corn kernel starch content indicator). Starch is one of the most energy dense feed components; so silage that contains higher amounts of starch will be higher energy overall. The further down the kernel milk line is established; the more starch content has been stored in the kernel. 

Plant moisture and milk line may not be directly correlated and may vary among hybrids. While these development factors trend in the same direction, the moisture content may vary from field to field, even if milk line is the same. 

Corn silage is a great feed resource that can benefit from moisture content monitoring at harvest. Target harvesting silage at 65-70% moisture content for best results. Use the ear kernel milk line (closer to the cob means more starch and higher energy silage) to find your ideal harvest window based on your hybrids.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

August always seems to be a time when certain weeds become quite noticeable in pastures.  That is especially true of areas that have had abundant summer rains and in pastures that have relatively thin grass stands, where animals congregate, or if some overgrazing has occurred.

Common pasture weeds include annuals such as sunflowers, lamb’s quarter, or kochia and perennials like western ragweed, ironweed, and verbena.

Spraying weeds now does little good as many weeds are too large to kill. In species that produce seed, herbicides might only reduce some seed production.  If the goal is to improve appearance, shredding areas that have an abundance of weeds might be the best option, and may reduce some seed production, if it’s not already too late. 

Two other approaches are better for long-term weed control.  First, focus on the grazing management of your pastures with an overall goal to increase the health, vigor, and density of your grass.  Use the proper stocking rate and develop a good rotational grazing plan.  Healthy, competitive grass stands are essential to reduce weed populations economically over time. 

Second, target herbicide applications for when they will do the most good.  Both perennial and annual species can be better targeted with a spring application when plants are smaller and therefore easier to control.  For perennials, if a second application is needed, waiting closer to a killing frost is best.  These fall applications can be more effective as more product is translocated down to the roots. 

Pasture weeds may look unsightly now; but hold off on spraying. Improve grazing management and time herbicides for the best window of control so herbicides won’t be needed as often in the future.  

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Crops & Water Educator, Samantha Daniel

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

If grazing is one of your goals for a fall cover or forage crop, planting date matters. Every week we wait now means less growing season and less fall production. While seeding early is best, some species handle later planting dates better than others.

For fields available now through the end of August, oats or spring triticale are good options for fall forage. Brassicas like turnips or rapeseed can also be added. These winter-sensitive species generally produce lots of high quality fall growth. These forages typically need 40 to 60 days of growth before grazing. Later-maturing forage varieties can help keep small grains vegetative and maintain quality longer, making stockpiling for winter grazing an option.

As planting moves into September, especially following corn silage, cereal rye or winter triticale become better choices. Fall production may be lower, but these crops survive winter and provide spring forage. A simple oats and rye mix can split the difference—oats provide fall growth while rye comes back next spring. If spring forage is the priority, avoid grazing winter-hardy species too short this fall; leave about four inches of growth to protect spring forage potential.

After later corn or soybean harvest, expectations need to change. Rye can still establish, but most of its forage value will come the following spring.

Before planting, check herbicide rotation and grazing restrictions from the previous crop.

If grazing this fall is your forage goal, the sooner we can get seed in the ground, the better.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

High value silage depends on maintaining chop quality throughout harvest. Do you know how to reliably monitor your silage quality?

Energy from corn silage comes in a large part from starch in the grain itself. After consuming, the outer seed coat impedes starch digestion.  To counter act this, many modern choppers are fitted with a kernel processor, that physically crushes or damages the grain and stalks, improving digestibility.  Correctly setting these rollers is critical.  Too close and machine wear increases, too far apart and the kernels aren’t broken and digestibility is decreased. 

To achieve high-quality silage, catching any problems with the processor as soon as possible is critical. To do this, grab a 32 oz. cup and at least once an hour during harvest, grab a sample from the pile. 

Next spread the sample out on a flat surface like a card table near the pile and go through the kernels.  Count all the kernels that are ½ or greater in size. You can also put the sample into a bucket of water.  The kernels will sink to the bottom and stalks and leaves will float.  Skim/drain off the top layer and again count any kernels that are ½ or greater in size.

For both methods, the goal is to have 2 or fewer whole or ½ size kernels in your count.  Anything over that and word can be passed to the chopper to adjust the processing.

For those who don’t have access to a kernel processer, keeping chop length short can help accomplish similar results.  Shortening chop length to 3/8 inch for machines without a processor will do more kernel damage and maintain similar fiber particle size. For those whose priority is not particle size, mostly beef producers, dropping down to ½ inch chop length will damage even more kernels and provide the additional benefit of helping get a better pack.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman

Pasture and forage minute is a production of Nebraska Extension. For more information on how your university is serving Nebraskan’s go to https://extension.unl.edu

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

In previous years, portions of Nebraska have seen significant numbers of fall armyworm caterpillars feeding on alfalfa, brome regrowth in pastures, and newly seeded small grain crops such as wheat, triticale, and rye. While reports of armyworm damage have not yet been received this year, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for this insect.

Fall armyworm caterpillars can be distinguished from other Lepidopterans by markings on the head that resemble an inverted “Y” and four spots on the last abdominal segment that form a square. This insect does not overwinter in Nebraska, but rather migrates north from Texas, Florida, and Mexico when populations build up in late summer. 

Once caterpillars are ¾ inch, they can do considerable damage in a few days. Because of this, it is important to scout fields and pastures in the early morning and late afternoon, when caterpillars are most active, to spot them when they are small.

A reasonable treatment threshold is finding 3 or more caterpillars per square foot within a field or pasture. The application of a pyrethroid insecticide, given the larvae are smaller than ¾ inch, will provide adequate control. For forage crops be sure to check the grazing restriction and post-harvest interval. Keep in mind, caterpillars ¾ inch or longer are close to maturity and can be harder to control with an insecticide.  

Fall armyworm feeding declines with cooler temperatures and the adult moths eventually migrate south. In the meantime, plan to keep an eye on your pastures and newly seeded fields for any sign of infestation. 

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Crops & Water Educator, Samantha Daniel

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Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Corn silage success rests on proper harvest, packing, and storage practices. When we need a boost, adding an inoculant at harvest can help improve fermentation and storage, but we need to know what products to use to get the best result.

Silage inoculants are bacterial cultures that help manage fermentation by converting plant sugars to acids. This lowers pH and helps limit molds, fungi, and undesirable bacteria.

When selecting an inoculant, first decide whether the goal is faster, more efficient fermentation, better stability during feedout, or both. Homolactic bacteria help fermentation get started faster and pH drop quickly.   Bacteria like Lactobacillus plantarum help fermentation happen more quickly, preserving dry matter for feed.  This can be especially important on hail damaged crops that have been striped of leaves or if harvest is outside of the ideal moisture window.  A quicker ferment can reduce spoilage.

Other inoculants, like the heterolactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus buchneri, can improve aerobic stability by reducing spoilage when silage is re-exposed to air. These bacteria can be especially useful when bunker faces are too wide to keep fresh or when several days’ worth of feed are removed at one time.  Keep in mind that L. buchneri works slowly, so silage should remain ensiled for roughly 45 to 60 days before opening to receive the full benefit.

If both situations are a concern, combination products are available.

The purpose of inoculants is not to fix a train wreck or improve a perfect silage year. Instead, they can serve as an insurance policy when conditions aren’t ideal, helping reduce spoilage losses and maintain silage quality.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

When mother nature fails to provide rain, knowing forage water use is important for both dryland and irrigated crops. Forages vary greatly in water-use efficiency (the amount of forage produced for each inch of water used), and knowing ahead of time is important. In general, warm-season, or C4, forage crops are more water efficient than cool-season, or C3, crops. Annual forages also tend to use water more efficiently than perennial forages.

For example, warm-season annual grasses such as sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass may require about 2.5 to 3.5 inches of water per ton of forage produced. Cool-season oats require roughly 4.5 to 5.5 inches per ton, while alfalfa generally requires still more water per ton of production.  Knowing production goals and water efficiency can help decide which crop may be best to plant.

Decisions can be made during the growing season as well. Harvesting corn for silage rather than grain can reduce seasonal water use when supplies are limited. Silage is normally harvested several weeks earlier than grain, ending crop water demand sooner and potentially eliminating some late-season irrigation. This can make silage an attractive option while still producing a large amount of feed.

Where water supplies are restricted further, millet can be a good option for efficiently producing forage, although its total biomass potential may be less than some other summer annuals. In UNL research at North Platte, adding just 2.22 inches of irrigation water produced just over 2 tons of millet per acre. Yield increased to about 3.5 tons with 4.62 inches of irrigation.  Additional irrigation beyond that produced little additional forage.

Choosing the right forage when irrigation water is limited means balancing yield potential with how efficiently that crop uses available water. More information is available in NebGuide G2012, “Forage Production with Limited Irrigation.”

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Do you have a thinning, low-producing alfalfa stand but aren’t quite ready for a complete reseeding? These stands can sometimes be rejuvenated by interseeding grasses to increase hay production in subsequent years or convert the field to pasture.

Most alfalfa fields begin to lose stand and production potential after several years of hay production. When this occurs, interseeding a grass can help maintain hay yield and quality. Orchardgrass is the most common interseeded grass into alfalfa, but endophyte-free tall fescue, smooth or meadow brome, festulolium, and wheatgrasses also can be used. If the field will be used as pasture, a mixture of grasses may work well, but select species that fit your soils, moisture conditions, and grazing goals.

Whether irrigated or dryland, interseeding following a mid-August to early September hay harvest can provide good establishment conditions. Dryland establishment carries more risk because timely moisture will be needed for germination and seedling growth. Seeding should be done as soon as the August or early September harvest is complete.

If the existing alfalfa is relatively thick, another cutting may be needed once the alfalfa begins to form a full canopy. This keeps sunlight reaching the new grass seedlings below.

Seeding rates vary depending on the grass species and thickness of the existing alfalfa. With orchardgrass, for example, as little as 3 pounds per acre may be adequate in a relatively thick alfalfa stand, while up to 6 pounds per acre may be appropriate in a very thin stand.

Next spring, evaluate how well the new grasses have established. If seedlings still seem weak, cutting hay early can open the canopy and provide more sunlight for continued grass development.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Corn silage harvest may seem like a long way off, but preparation for a successful harvest begins now.  Improper silage storage and fermentation can result in losses up to 20% prior to feeding. Plan your storage now to keep excessive storage losses from happening to you.

Preventing oxygen from entering your silage should be a top priority when considering silage storage. Bagged silage is a versatile option that allows the storage location to move year to year and comes with a build in oxygen barrier but can carry a high price tag and may not be appropriate for large harvest amounts. Placing the silage in a bunker is another that can increase oxygen exclusion, but make sure to check these structures for cracks and repair any that are found to maintain their integrity. If silage is a feedstuff on your operation, the reduction in losses that a permanent structure paired with covering the pile provides can offset the costs when spread out over several years.

Silage piles are the more traditional approach and can allow for greater volumes of silage to be stored in a smaller area without the cost and permanent nature of bunkers. Oxygen exclusion in piles that lack a permanent structure can be enhanced with some planning.  Before harvesting, line the sides with bales and place oxygen-limiting plastic down the sides and for several feet under the bottom to seal the sides of the pile.  At a minimum, placing plastic on top of the pile is an investment worth the time, labor, and money.  By covering the pile, we can reduce oxygen from moving into the pile from the top and reduce precipitation exposure. 

Corn silage is a valuable feed resource and keeping oxygen out of your silage requires planning now. Pick an appropriate location for harvest and feed out success and store correctly to minimize feed losses.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator, Ben Beckman.

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Common mullein is an invasive biennial weed that can spread rapidly into pastures. First year seeds prefer to germinate and form rosette plants in disturbed or tilled soils. Then, second year mullein plants enter the bolting stage, developing yellow flowering seed head spikes. Due to recent mild winters, mullein winter survival has been high. 

For controlling small infestations, hand-pulling or digging can be effective, especially before plants produce seeds. Make sure to remove the entire rosette or sever the root below the soil surface. Repeated mowing when plants are in the bolting to early flowering stage can reduce seed production; but mowing low-growing rosettes is generally not effective. Remember that spring seed germination can be problematic for years after weed seed is produced. 

Herbicide control can be a challenge due to the dense, woolly mullein leaves hindering absorption and single mode of action herbicide usage has led to some herbicide-resistant populations. Effective control usually requires chemical application either during the first-year rosette stage OR prior to seed development during the second-year bolting stage. Note that non-ionic surfactant or crop oil concentrates must be included with most herbicide applications to overcome the woolly mullein leaves. 

The most effective labelled control products in UNL studies, which must be applied to rosettes prior to spring bolting, include Remedy®, Tordon®, Milestone®; Graslan®; MezaVue™; and Chaparral™. A fall application can control common mullein before it overwinters, but the herbicide will not persist and control new spring seedlings.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Crops & Water Educator, Samantha Daniel.