Pasture and Forage Minute

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Summer annuals such as pearl millet, forage sorghum, sorghum-sudans, corn and BRM (brown midrib) forages can response well to fertilizer applications after their first cutting harvest. However, if moisture is a limiting factor, then fertilizer applications likely should be split and/or significantly reduced; since forage yields will only increase to the first limiting nutrient level. 

Under irrigation management, 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre may be applied after haying the first cutting or grazing of summer annual forages to stimulate regrowth. Sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass will especially benefit from fertilizer applications after each cutting when irrigation reduces potential moisture stress. Further, average summer forage hay dry matter contains 15 pounds of phosphorus; 40 pounds of potassium and 25 pounds of sulfur per ton. Actual nutrient content can vary based on forage species; time of year and potential stress.

For rain-fed (dryland) forage production, high rates of nitrogen during drought stress may increase the risk of nitrate accumulation in the forages. So, dryland forage fertilizer rates this year’s drought conditions may be significantly lower. If dry weather conditions continue, growers may reduce normal fertilizer rates by over 50%. In some cases, producers may decide to split apply fertilizer and adjust rates based on rainfall amounts. 

In UNL on-ranch forage studies, pearl millet forage was higher in sulfur content compared to other summer forages. So, consider sampling forage leaves; field soil; and hay to determine if sulfur may be a limiting factor on long-term millet producing fields.

More details regarding summer annual forages management are available online at: https://cropwater.unl.edu.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Irrigation, Crops & Forage Educator, Todd Whitney

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Have you noticed tall weeds with umbrella-like clusters of white flowers in pastures, ditch banks, and along roadsides? It may be poison hemlock, a plant highly toxic to people and livestock.

Poison hemlock commonly grows in moist soils along streams, roadsides, fencelines, and low areas in pastures. It has finely divided, fern-like leaves and smooth, hollow stems with distinctive purple spots. This biennial grows as a low rosette its first year before producing a tall flowering stalk during its second.

Scout pastures before turnout, especially when forage is short or low in palatability. Livestock generally avoid poison hemlock, but may consume it when desirable forage is limited or when turned into a pasture hungry. Adequate forage, water, salt, and minerals can reduce abnormal grazing behavior, but do not make an infested pasture safe.

All parts of poison hemlock are toxic, and relatively small quantities can cause severe poisoning or death. The plant also remains dangerous after drying, making contaminated hay a potential risk.

Control is most effective during the rosette stage in fall or early spring, before plants bolt and flower. Avoid mowing or spraying while livestock remain in the area. Cutting or herbicide injury may make plants more palatable and easier to consume, so exclude livestock until treated plants are dead and no longer accessible.

Pasture and rangeland herbicide options include products containing 2,4-D, dicamba, or both, along with DuraCor®, Chaparral®, Graslan® L, Cimarron® Plus, and Escort® XP. Streamline® is labeled for certain noncrop sites, but its label prohibits grazing or feeding forage or hay from treated areas.

Consider impacts on clovers and other desirable broadleaf plants, along with grazing, haying, manure, and reseeding restrictions. Always confirm that the product is labeled for the intended site and follow all label directions.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Summer annual forages such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids and pearl millet planted this spring soon could be ready to graze.  There are some grazing guidelines to help avoid potential hazards.

The first guideline is to never turn hungry animals into sudangrass or sorghum-type pastures.  The reason why is because they may eat so rapidly that they could get a quick overdose of prussic acid and die.  All sudangrass and sorghum-type hybrids can produce a compound called prussic acid that is potentially poisonous.  Prussic acid, which also is called cyanide, is nothing to fear, though, as long as you use a few precautions to avoid problems.

The highest concentration of prussic acid is in new young shoots, so let your grass get a little growth on it before grazing to help dilute out the prussic acid.  Let sudangrass get 15 to 18 inches in height before grazing.  Sorghum-sudan hybrids usually have a little more prussic acid risk, so wait until they are 18 to 24 inches tall.

Pearl millet does not contain prussic acid so if you planted millet these grazing precautions aren’t needed.  Pearl millet can be grazed when it reaches 12 to 15 inches tall.

Nitrates also can accumulate in these grasses, particularly when there are droughty conditions and/or excess nitrogen fertilization.  Avoid grazing these grasses too short, since nitrate concentration is highest in the lower parts of the stems.

Summer annual grasses respond best to a simple, rotational grazing system.  Divide fields into three or more smaller paddocks of a size that your animals can graze down to about eight or so inches of leafy stubble within 7 to 10 days.  Repeat this procedure with all paddocks.  If grass in some paddocks gets too tall, it could be cut for hay.

A well-planned start, a good rotation, and a little rain can give you good pasture from these grasses all the rest of the summer.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.
 

By mid-summer, summer annual grasses like foxtail, sandbur, and crabgrass are already up and growing—and they’re starting to cause issues in perennial hay or pasture fields.

At this point in the season, pre-emergent herbicides are no longer an effective control option for already growing summer annual weeds. Our best bet is to focus on post-emergent control and timely harvest management. In Roundup Ready® alfalfa, a labeled glyphosate product is a solid option—just be sure to treat while weeds are still small and before the alfalfa canopy blocks spray coverage.

In conventional alfalfa, grass-selective herbicides like Select®, Assure®, or Poast® can still work on smaller grasses. Follow the label closely for height limits and grazing or harvest restrictions.

If weeds are already well established, burn-down products like Gramoxone® may be your best shot. Apply immediately after cutting—before much alfalfa regrowth occurs—to knock back annual grasses with limited damage to the stand.

In mixed alfalfa-grass fields, your herbicide options are even more limited.  The only post emergent product we might consider is Pursuit®, which may stunt perennial grasses.  This doesn’t disqualify it as an option, but be aware it may open the door for more weed pressure.

This late in the season, cultural controls like adjusting harvest timing and maintaining a dense, vigorous stand may do more for long-term control than a spray pass. And remember—no herbicide will make up for poor timing.

Summer grasses are a challenge, but with a sharp eye and well-timed management, you can still limit their impact and protect your hay 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:

Is your pasture paying its way? This is a question I have heard lately with regards to changing input costs. Before your cattle hit the field, here's a quick way to check if your pasture covers its costs. Let’s run the numbers:

Suppose you fertilize a subi-irrigated meadow on cool- or warm‑season grasses. Let’s assume after we fertilize, this will boost our forage yield by 0.75/ ton per acre. 

Let’s assume hay is valued at $120/ton, that extra 0.75 tons is worth $90/acre, so you must spend less than that on fertilizer to break even. If hay prices rise to $150/ton, your break-even fertilizer investment increases to $112.50/acre. 

But that’s just yield. In continuous grazing systems, livestock typically harvest only 25–35% of the forage, the rest is lost through trampling, fouling, or things of that nature. This dramatically eats into your return on your investment.

To get your money’s worth, combine fertilization with good grazing management, with things like rotational grazing across at least 4 paddocks. This not only improves forage utilization, it helps cover those fertilizer costs 

Here’s a quick formula, if your total cost per acre is $150 ($X), and your hay value is $120/ton (Y), then:

Break-even yield = $150 ÷ $120 or X÷Y or roughly 1.25 tons per acre

Make sure you're getting that much forage after accounting for utilization. If you're falling short, consider cutting costs, boosting efficiency, or renting extra grazing ground to balance the budget.

For additional information about this topic go to beef.unl.edu. For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I am Nebraska Extension Agricultural Economics Educator Shannon Sand.

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Rained-on hay plagues all of us eventually.  The 'windrow disease' that often follows presents lingering problems.

Windrow disease — that’s the name given to the striped appearance in fields where alfalfa windrows remained so long that regrowth underneath was delayed.  Usually, it’s due to rained on hay.

Windrow disease presents special challenges.  Weeds often invade, requiring spraying to maintain quality and protect stands.  During the next growth period, plants that were not smothered regrow rapidly, while plants underneath the windrow suffer delays.  Part of the field often will begin to bloom while windrow-stressed plants are still short and tender.  So, when do you harvest?  When the first plants begin to bloom, or do you wait until injured plants are ready?

I suggest using two factors to tell you when you should cut — the health and vigor of your stand and the nutrient needs of your livestock.  For example, is your alfalfa stand young, healthy and regrowing well?  If not, wait to cut until stunted plants begin to bloom so you can avoid weakening them even more.

But, if your alfalfa is in good shape, then cut when it will best meet the needs of your animals.  Dairy cows need alfalfa that is cut early, so harvest when the first plants reach bud to early bloom stage.  Regrowth of injured plants may be slow after cutting, but this sacrifice is needed for profitable milk production.  Beef cows, though, do not need such rich hay.  So, if the hay will be fed to beef cattle, let stunted plants recover, and then cut when they are ready to bloom.

Hopefully, by next cut, growth will be more uniform, plants healthy, and production back to normal.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Since the first cutting of alfalfa has been completed in much of the state, Nebraska producers may be tempted to believe our troubles with alfalfa weevil are over. Unfortunately, this may not be the case. Alfalfa weevil feeding on regrowth has been reported in some fields, so scouting is highly recommended, particularly if you notice that regrowth doesn’t begin within 4-5 days after cutting.

Alfalfa plants usually suffer the most injury and economic damage before the first cutting, however, feeding on regrowth can have impacts as well. While larvae cause the most damage, adults can also cause damage by feeding along leaf margins and leaving irregular notches. Adult beetles are roughly 5mm in length with a blunt snout and a brown body covered in golden hairs. Larvae are 1.5mm to 8.5mm long with a black head, wrinkled green body, and white stripe along the back and will curl into a C-shape when disturbed.

Scouting for alfalfa weevil is simple and can help mitigate economic losses. Randomly select 5 sites across the field and collect 6 stems at each site, cutting the stems at ground level. Beat the stems into a deep sided white bucket and count the number of larvae to determine the average number per stem. Economic thresholds for alfalfa weevil can vary greatly from an average of 1-7 larvae per stem, depending on a variety of factors.

While there are several insecticides labeled for alfalfa weevil management, some Nebraska weevil populations may be losing susceptibility to the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin. Therefore, if you believe you have an infestation above threshold, contact your county Extension Office for further guidance.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

What does it cost to rent pasture this year? 2026 results are out for Nebraska cash rental rates.  According to the latest survey, average monthly rates for grazing pasture have increased between 2% and 8% compared to the previous grazing season.

The north reporting district primarily the Sandhills has the highest average cow-calf pair monthly rate at $82.10. The northeast and central districts are not far behind at $77.35 and $74.60 per month, respectively. The northwest district (the Panhandle) had the lowest rates at just over $56.45 per month. Elsewhere in Nebraska, rates generally fall in the $60 to $69 per month range.

Pasture rent can vary for many reasons. Landlord involvement in fencing, water, and management responsibilities has a significant impact, as does grassland quality, pasture location, and cattle size. Tradition, individual relationships, and local demand may also influence rates.

Whether you are looking to rent pasture or have pasture available, a written lease agreement is essential. These agreements can include a number of stipulations, but at minimum should specify the number of cattle, the length of the grazing period (or stocking rate), and how a drought or other unforeseen event will be handled.

For Today’s Pasture and Forage Minute I am Nebraska Extension Agricultural Economics Educator Shannon Sand

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Yucca plants, which are also called soapweed, can be quite common on rangeland in western and central Nebraska.  They are especially noticeable here in June when flowering.  In some areas, they can be quite thick and significantly reduce grass production. There are ways, though, to reclaim those grazinglands.

Once established, yucca plants can increase on drier rangeland sites.  They produce a deep taproot that competes aggressively for the limited water in these soils.  With sharp leaves protecting the plant, cattle rarely eat it during summer.  Grass production decreases while yucca thrives.

Herbicides like Remedy Ultra®; PastureGard HL®; Pathfinder II®, Tordon®, Velpar, or Cimarron Plus® can control yucca, but only when each individual plant is sprayed directly. Hexazinone products like Velpar L®; Pronone Power Pellet, or Velossa® be applied to the soil uphill side of individual yucca plants with exact delivery hand-gun applicator; since pasture grass streaking injury downslope can occur with chemical movement.  General broadcast spraying to control yucca on rangeland is cost prohibitive, although small patches can and should be controlled before they expand.  Herbicides are most effective when applied in spring or summer.

Some people have had some success in reducing yucca through winter grazing.  During winter, yucca often is the only green plant around.  It has been observed though, that it can take some time for animals to learn to graze yucca. After several consecutive winters of grazing, yucca stands can be reduced so grass again thrives during summer.

Whether it is with herbicides or trying some winter grazing, this might be a good year to reclaim some of your pasture back from yucca.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

While poisonous plants are generally not as problematic in Nebraska compared to other western states, they can exact their toll on livestock enterprises, and many times the losses are unrecognized.

There are 17 species listed as primary toxic plants that can be found in Nebraska.  Toxic plants contain or produce substances injurious or lethal to animals.  The amount of plant material consumed by the grazing animal before death or poisoning symptoms appear, does vary by species.  Poisoning symptoms will vary depending on the toxic compound in the plant, but may include difficulty breathing, excess salivation, nervousness, or staggering.  Many poisonous plants are avoided by the animal, but a scarcity of forage, such as under drought conditions may lead to a situation where they are consumed.

There are some species, such as prairie larkspur, where grazing animals may select for them when they are flowering (mid-June to early July).  Other relatively common poisonous plants in central and western Nebraska include Riddell groundsel, Lambert crazyweed, wooly locoweed, and chokecherry.  

Poison hemlock and spotted water hemlock are common statewide.  These two species prefer moist areas in pastures, creek banks, ditches, and disturbed sites.

If you suspect a poisonous plant problem in your pastures, be sure to get a positive identification of the plant.  When control or removal of the plants is not possible, it may be best to move livestock to a different pasture.

Nebraska Extension does have a great resource called Nebraska Plants Toxic to Livestock (EC3037) that can be found online or obtained through your local Extension office.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Forages vary greatly in water-use efficiency defined as pounds of forage produced per inch of water applied. In general, warm-season (C-4) forage crops are more water-use efficient than cool-season (C-3) crops. Further, annual forages use water more efficiently than perennial forages.  Although legumes, like alfalfa, are very drought tolerant, they tend to be less water efficient than grasses.

When moisture is plentiful, water-use use efficiency for warm-season annual sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids ranges from 2.0 to 3.5 inches of water per ton of yield. Efficiency of cool-season oats is estimated at 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water required per ton of production. Comparatively, alfalfa needs 4 to 6 inches of water per ton or cutting.

Switching from harvesting corn as dried grain to corn silage can also increase overall irrigation water use efficiency; since the silage corn can be harvested at the R4 dough stage; or 30-40 days earlier than traditional grain harvest. Silage yields can peg 28 tons per acre while lowering overall total water usage by 7 inches per acre.

Where water supplies may be restricted, millet may be the preferred forage option for improving water use efficiency. Although potential total biomass production of millet will likely be less than other drought-tolerant forage options. In UNL forage research at North Platte, millet produced 2 tons per acre with 2.2 inches of irrigation water; while applying more than 4.5 inches of irrigation water did not increase millet forage yields above 3.5 tons per acre.

More information including NebGuide G2012 “Forage Production with Limited Irrigation” is available at: https://cropswatch.unl.edu or https://beef.unl.edu

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, this is Nebraska Extension Irrigation, Cropping Systems and Forage Educator, Todd Whitney.

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

With drought conditions forecasted across much of Nebraska this summer, now is the time to make a grazing plan that builds in flexibility.

Start by evaluating forage availability. If grass is already slow, consider reducing stocking rates early. Holding cattle back on a drylot or using annual forages can help avoid overgrazing if pastures fall short.  Additionally, incorporating stockers into an operation can provide an asset that is easier to liquidate than the main breeding herd if conditions get dry.

If you haven’t already, set trigger dates to evaluate forage growth and precipitation. For example, June moisture does little for cool-season grasses like brome but can still help warm-season species.  If we head into June at a deficit, brome pastures will need stocking rates reduced.  Timely rain may fuel some late growth in native range, but a close eye on grazing pressure and pasture condition needs to be maintained. 

As you graze, don’t underestimate the impact of timing. Grazing during plant recovery periods, especially in June and early July for warm season species, can weaken plants and reduce future productivity. Rotate grazing so that key grasses have a break during critical growing windows.

Lastly, keep an eye on grazing pressure. Grazing as drought stress impacts a plant can double the pressure it is receiving without a chance to recover if it stays dry.  As pastures dry out, be especially careful not to overgraze.  Once fully dormant, plants can be grazed a bit harder without much damage, although we want to leave enough residual to protect plant crowns and reduce soil moisture loss. 

Planning for drought isn’t fun, but taking steps now can save pasture health and avoid emergency decisions later

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Alfalfa is resilient to harsh weather and a drought-tolerant perennial crop with rooting depths down eight feet or more. Depending on deep soil profile moisture during drought, some varieties can move into a dormancy and survive up to 45 days without rainfall.  However, forage yields drop dramatically; since alfalfa requires about 4 to 6 inches of root available water to produce 1 ton of forage per acre.

So, what irrigation strategy is recommended for alfalfa under extreme moisture stress prior to the first cutting when the first cutting usually requires 6 to 7 inches of water? Also, remember that once perennial fields lack spring moisture, it is hard to catch up with irrigation during the hot summer season due to higher ET (evapotranspiration) water needs.

Most of western Nebraska is currently under extreme drought despite some recent welcome rains. 
For example, average North Platte snow/rainfall accumulation from Nov. to May is 10 inches. This year, the snow/rainfall total has been only 3” or about 30% of average. So, first cutting yields may be only half of normal forage yield; if irrigation has been limited. Also, stressed alfalfa, which may be dropping leaves prematurely, may need cut before the recommended one-tenth bloom alfalfa development stage to salvage yield. Remember that internode length shortens during dry conditions, so forage maturity will have less impact on quality. A timely irrigation just prior to the first cutting, though, may increase regrowth tonnage for the succeeding crop.

Moving forward, an advantage of early alfalfa cutting is that water use will drop sharply; because transpiration is lower when the leaf foliage is removed.  Following first cutting, irrigation might be delayed slightly in fields where weeds could respond quicker to the moisture than alfalfa regrowth.
Otherwise, full water irrigation or rainfall target amounts will be typically six to seven inches of water 
for each subsequent cutting. Spring water usage may only be one-fourth inch per day but will rapidly increase as summer temperatures rise. Peak water alfalfa usage in July and August can extend beyond the normal one-third inch per day (or two inches per week) to half inch per day during extreme stress times.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:
Dry conditions have left some dryland alfalfa fields short, stressed, and slow to grow. When plants are only six to twelve inches tall, turning purple, yellow, or gray, and starting to bloom, the question becomes: should we cut it, graze it, or leave it alone?

The first thing to consider is yield. If the field is not going to produce at least about a half-ton per acre, haying may not pay for the fuel, labor, and equipment cost. From a plant health standpoint, drought-stressed alfalfa can survive while dormant, but every pass across the field still needs to be worth it.

While dormant alfalfa is resilient, the University of Wisconsin recommends not harvesting if the flowering stand is under 10 inches in height. Because quality of drought-stressed stands declines less rapidly with maturity than normal, allowing plants to reach 100% bloom can improve recovery after a harvest does occur.

Grazing can be an option where fence, water, and livestock are available. Drought-stressed, bloomed-out alfalfa usually carries less bloat risk than lush, actively growing alfalfa, but the risk is not zero. Avoid turning hungry cattle directly onto alfalfa, offer hay first, and monitor closely.

If grazing, control access with strip grazing or rotation, and try to leave at least four inches of stubble to protect the stand. Once rain comes and fresh regrowth starts, cattle should come off to avoid crown damage and increased bloat risk.

If haying or grazing does not make sense, the best option may simply be to leave the field alone. Shredding may clean things up, but on low-yielding, drought-stunted alfalfa, it often adds cost without much benefit.

The bottom line: base the decision on yield, cost, livestock need, and stand recovery. Protect the crowns, avoid unnecessary expense, and be ready to adjust when rain returns.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As late spring and summer temperatures begin to heat up and cattle are on pasture, it’s important to make sure there is adequate water for livestock. How much do cattle need and where should it come from? 

The water requirements for cattle depends on their size, class, and environmental conditions. High humidity and greater temperatures also increase water demand.  A study at the University of Georgia lists water requirements for days when the daily high temperature is 90°F. With these conditions, growing or lactating animals need two gallons of water per 100 pounds of body weight. This means a 1400 pound, lactating cow will need close to 28 gallons of water daily with 90°F daily highs. If the calves are 250 pounds, they will need about 5 gallons. Again, some of the water will come from grazed forage.   Make sure water tanks or water points are accessible for smaller calves. 

Having fresh, clean water should also be a priority.  Whenever dry conditions occur or especially in later summer, water quality from water sources such as dugouts or ponds and dams may not be ideal. The ability to have water close by should also be a goal, although sometimes it’s simply not possible.  More water locations can help meet the water demand but could also help grazing distribution too.  Cattle will receive some of their daily water requirements when they are consuming high moisture feedstuffs such as fresh forage when grazing pasture, silages, or green chopped feeds.  Feeds that are high-energy increase the water requirement. 

Keep an eye on water this summer and make sure livestock have enough, good quality water available.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky. 

Alfalfa weevil continues to be an issue in some fields, particularly those that are established. With recent population spikes and feeding damage observed, alfalfa producers throughout the state are urged to scout for this pest up to and shortly following first cutting.

Plant injury from alfalfa weevil feeding damage appears as pinholes in the terminal leaves, with leaves becoming skeletonized and fields appearing droughty or frosted as feeding severity increases. Larvae are 1/10” to ½” long with a black head, wrinkled green body, and white stripe along the back and will curl into a C-shape when disturbed. 

Scouting for alfalfa weevil is simple and can mitigate yield losses due to feeding damage. First, use a sweep net to determine whether larvae are present. If they are, randomly select 5 sites across the field and collect 10 stems at each site, cutting the stems at ground level. Beat the stems into a deep sided white bucket, count the total number of larvae, and divide by 10 to determine the average number of larvae per stem. Economic thresholds for Alfalfa Weevil can vary greatly from an average of 1-7 larvae per stem, depending on a variety of factors. If very small larvae are found before the first cutting, it is recommended that the field be scouted after cutting to check for feeding on regrowth.

Insecticides labeled for alfalfa weevil control include pyrethroids and products containing indoxacarb (such as Steward). Pyrethroids are more harmful to natural enemies of alfalfa weevil and resistance may be developing in some weevil populations, while indoxacarb is more selective and may help to maintain beneficial insect populations. When alfalfa reaches 50% or more bud stage, it may be more profitable to cut the alfalfa early rather than treat it. 

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As pastures begin to green up, now is the time to scout pastures for two persistent problems—leafy spurge and nonnative thistles like musk, plumeless, and Canada thistle. Both are Nebraska noxious weeds, and early spring is the best opportunity for control.

Leafy spurge is a deep-rooted perennial with a yellow-green flower that shows up early in the season. Its root system can reach 15 feet deep, making it extremely difficult to control. Spring herbicide applications at the at the bud stage, include 2,4-D ester, Graslan L, Tordon 22K, or picloram 22K. At flowering, options broaden to products like Curtail, Cody, Stinger, Streamline, Overdrive plus Tordon 22K, or Sharpen plus Plateau can reduce spurge growth and seed production. Just remember—one treatment won’t be enough. A follow-up fall application is often needed to catch regrowth and keep infestations from spreading.

Thistles, especially nonnative species like musk and plumeless, should also be targeted in early spring. Look for plants in the rosette to bolting stage—that’s when herbicides work best. Top-rated products include Chaparral, Milestone, Transline and Opensight, with several other options depending on the specific species. Canada thistle, being a perennial, responds best to fall herbicide applications, but you can reduce spread now by mowing in June and July, and applying 2,4-D or a dicamba mix as a stopgap until fall.  Just make sure to control before flowers occur.

Whichever weed you’re battling, control efforts need to start early and be followed up throughout the season.  Our publication, EC-130 “Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska” provides a list of recommended herbicide options and cost comparison of spurge, thistle, and other noxious weed control products. Read and follow label directions, and don’t wait to control these weeds until they are flowering—by then, your options are limited, control is less effective, and next year’s seed is being spread.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Smooth bromegrass and other cool-season grass hay fields are growing rapidly with seedheads beginning to appear.   When do you typically cut your grass hay?  Ideally, cutting your grass hay so the grass nutrient content matches with the nutritional needs of your livestock is best.  

Crude protein and energy concentration declines in grass hay as plants become stemmy and mature.  With smooth bromegrass for example, research has shown that crude protein content declines rapidly between boot and mature seed stages.  Crude protein levels in well fertilized hay harvested at early heading range from 10 –18 percent, but drop rapidly after heading. Decreases in crude protein levels by as much as one-half percent per day after heading have been recorded.

Also keep in mind that plants tend to mature sooner when conditions are dry and temperatures are warmer than normal.

For Sandhills subirrigated meadows, haying typically starts in early July.  However, if harvest occurs around the third week of June, then that hay will have significantly higher crude protein content.  Earlier meadow harvest will have lower initial hay yield, but it will also provide a longer regrowth period and extra growth for fall grazing.  

So, a good approach is to plan what type of livestock will receive the grass hay from each field.  Young livestock need high nutrient concentrations so cut that hay before or just when heads begin to emerge.  If the hay will go to mature dry cows instead, let the grass produce a bit more tonnage and cut it after it is well headed out, but before seeds develop.

Matching your hay harvest with your plan of use can pay handsome dividends in lower costs and less supplementing.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.
 

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As we work our way through spring, many small grains are maturing fast and nearing harvest windows. Are you ready to make the most out of these forage options?

Producers seeking hay should consider the animal being fed and feeding method before harvesting.  For young growing cattle, small grain hay should be cut in the boot stage or as soon as possible following heading to ensure higher protein and energy content. Mature cow and feedlot managers may consider delaying their forage harvest until the hard dough development stage to increase forage quantity; since these cattle can utilize lower quality forage than younger beef animals. Small grains with awns like rye, triticale, and wheat can be a concern at later maturities.  Grinding the hay, feeding in ration with additional moisture, or using an awnless (beardless) variety can reduce this risk.

No matter how you harvest, delaying can mean higher productivity. Nebraska studies have shown an 8 ton as harvested feed per acre increase between harvest at boot stage and soft dough on irrigated fields. The trade-off for delaying forage harvest was an 8% drop in crude protein content.

Another concern for silage harvesters is proper moisture when packing.  A statewide study looking at 17 Nebraska producers found the biggest loss of small grain silage quality was packing too wet despite almost all producers having wilted the crop before packing. Silage packed too wet had almost 3 times the energy loss that those packed at proper moisture content Shoot for 70-72% moisture for proper packing. Study survey data showed producers who harvested at boot, heading, or pollination stage and wilted for 16 to 24 hours appeared more likely to achieve target moisture levels. 

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

The 2026 rangeland grasshopper risk map from the USDA indicates there may be increased grasshopper activity in the eastern panhandle and southwestern Nebraska. Keeping an eye on fields this spring and summer can help mitigate economic loss from grasshopper feeding. 

Grasshoppers tend to thrive in dry, hot conditions while outbreaks can be severely limited by cool, wet spring weather; however, it is still recommended that producers throughout the state scout their fields while grasshoppers are in the nymph stage and therefore easier to control. Degree-day models estimate that current grasshopper populations are still in the early nymph stage, making this the best time to scout pastures including field margins.

One of the best ways to scout for grasshoppers is to use the square foot method. Randomly select an area several feet away and visualize a one square-foot area around that spot. Walk toward this spot and count the number of grasshoppers you see in or jumping out of this area. Repeat this procedure 18 times and divide the total number of grasshoppers by two. This will give you the number of grasshoppers per square yard. Economic thresholds for grasshoppers range from 8 to 40 grasshoppers per square yard, depending on a variety of factors. Keep in mind that control is generally recommended before grasshoppers reach maturity.

For current insecticide recommendations for controlling grasshoppers in rangeland, forages, alfalfa, and other crops, please contact your county extension office.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Oats, spring triticale or barley planted early this spring will soon be ready for grazing.  The potential seems great, but you may be disappointed if you don’t graze it right.

Oat pastures have increased in popularity in recent years.  They can reduce problems from drought and provide fast, early grazing.  Oat pastures can be very productive and last through early summer, but they also disappoint sometimes.  While we don’t know all we need to know, here are a few grazing recommendations that will help you succeed.

Oats grows rapidly.  Once it gets five or six inches tall, it quickly can shoot up to a foot tall in almost no time.  As nice as this sounds, if initial oat growth gets that tall it may not stool out, tiller, and regrow after grazing very well.  So it’s important to start grazing early and to graze hard enough to keep your oats vegetative and leafy, thereby stimulating it to constantly form new tillers.

So how early is early?  That’s hard to say, but if your animals start to first graze when oats get six to eight inches tall and they remove just half the growth it should recover rapidly and tiller well.  You probably will need to give your oats a couple weeks to regrow after this first grazing, though, before grazing again.

After this first grazing stimulates tillering, keep oat regrowth between six and sixteen inches tall using either continuous or rotational stocking.  Begin with a light stocking rate, maybe about one animal every two or three acres.  Then adjust animal numbers as growth changes.  Don’t worry if a few plants head out.  But if many plants get tall and approach the boot stage, either stock heavily for one last hard graze-out grazing or consider cutting for hay.

For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

As spring temperatures rise across Nebraska, now’s the time to plan your first alfalfa cutting. Getting that first cut right is more important than many realize—it sets the pace for the entire season.

Waiting too long to harvest can lead to lower forage quality and delayed regrowth. That pushes your second cutting later into the summer, when heat and drought stress can limit yield. It can also throw off your third or even fourth cuttings, shortening the season and reducing total tons per acre.

On the flip side, cutting too early—before late bud stage—can hurt stand vigor and root reserves, especially in younger fields.

A good rule of thumb? Aim for 750 growing degree days from green-up and target the late bud to early bloom stage. Depending on the quality you are shooting for, this typically falls between late-May and early-June. Check field conditions closely, including weevil activity and stand health, and plan around weather windows to avoid rain damage.

Poor timing in May can cost you in July and August. Start planning now. Sharpen blades, check and service equipment, and communicate with custom harvesters early. A timely first cut sets the tone for the rest of your hay season.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Spring is busy getting crops in the ground, but if much needed moisture keeps you from the field, take some time to maintain your haying equipment and prevent costly downtime later.

First, inspect, lubricate, and service all power-driven areas such as belts, bearings, chains, and gears.  Set tension on belts and chains.  For sicklebar headers, check, sharpen, or replace cutterbar sections and adjust wear plates, hold-down clips, and guards.  Make sure your cutterbar has proper knife register. On disc mowers, replace knives and rotate or replace worn turtles over the knives.

Conditioning rollers often are overlooked.  Look for uneven wear and adjust the roll gap, roll timing, and roll pressure for your crop.

On round balers, inspect belts, chains, and slats or rollers frequently for wear.  Trim frayed edges and repair belts as needed to maintain uniform tension.  When not in use, keep belts clean and release belt tension.

Check plunger knife clearance and plunger alignment on square balers and inspect the tying mechanism and adjust as needed.  Pick-up teeth on balers and on rakes frequently are broken or bent.  Replace defective teeth and adjust height if necessary.

Also, be sure you have replacement parts on hand for frequently broken or replaced items.  And most important of all, review your owner's manual to identify recommended maintenance procedures and proper settings.

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

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

It is close to the ideal time to plant a summer annual grass, maybe to replenish your hay supply or have some extra grazing.  Which one will you plant? 

Choosing a summer forage can be confusing because there are about seven different types of major summer annual forage grasses.  These include: sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, forage sorghum (which we often call cane or sorgo), foxtail millet, pearl millet, Japanese millet, and teff.  Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.  So, base your choice primarily on how you plan to use it.

For example, do you want pasture?  Then use sudangrass or pearl millet.  Both are leafy, they regrow rapidly, and they contain less danger from prussic acid poisoning than other annual grasses.

What if you want hay or green chop?  Then select sorghum-sudan hybrids or pearl millet because they yield well and they have good feed value when cut two or three times.  On sandy soils, or when conditions are dry, foxtail millet may be a better choice for summer hay.  It dries fast, doesn't regrow after cutting, and handles dry soils well. Cane hay is grown in many areas and produces high tonnage, but it’s lower in feed value and dries more slowly after cutting than the hybrids or millets.  Japanese millet can either be cut for hay or grazed and is a plant that can tolerate heavy, wet soils.  Choose teff if you are looking for a really soft, leafy, high quality horse hay.

Maybe you plan to chop silage.  Then choose the forage sorghums, especially hybrids with high grain production. They can't be beat for tonnage or for feed value.

While there are several choices of summer annual forages, simply select the one that is best adapted to the way you plan to use it.  And, of course, hope for rain since even these grasses won’t grow without some moisture.  For today’s Pasture and Forage Minute, I’m Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Jerry Volesky.

Here’s today’s pasture and forage minute:

Grazing winter annuals such rye, winter wheat, or triticale commonly begins in April.  All three of these forages can be very high in quality and reduce the need for feeding expensive hay while allowing additional time for spring growth of our perennial summer pastures. 

Timing grazing should depend plant growth, not a specific date.  Begin grazing when the plants are about 5 to 6 inches tall and manage to keep the maximum height at 8 to 10 inches.  A good starting point is about 0.5 cow or 1 stocker calf per acre in early spring and increasing from there.  Rotational grazing with higher stocking densities can assist with keeping the plant maturity more uniform and reduce selective grazing. Look ahead 1 or 2 pastures and move based on how the plants are recovering in those pastures. These forages grow and recover from grazing fast. 

The most common mistake when grazing spring small cereals is letting the grass get ahead of the cattle.  It is important to increase stocking density as the spring progresses to ensure grazing can keep up with the rapid forage growth. This can be achieved by either adding more cattle or reducing the number of acres being grazed. 

Like most cool-season grasses in early spring, small cereal forages are also high in potassium. This means there is a need to provide supplemental magnesium as potassium interferes with magnesium availability to the animal. A free choice mineral with a targeted 4 oz per day intake should contain at least 10% magnesium to prevent grass tetany in lactating cows and 5% magnesium to increase gains in stocker calves.

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