Surviving in 1998

Nineteen-ninety eight is a disastrous year for Texas agriculture. Poor rainfall during the spring and summer of 1998 has resulted in almost no summer pasture grazing. There is very little hay available. Drought conditions have virtually stopped pasture and hay growth in many areas. There is little anyone can do to affect immediate forage production, but decision concerning future alternatives should be planned now.

Producers are shaking their heads and trying to figure what to do. Negative factors such as extremely poor rainfall conditions, temperatures, and feed and fertilizer prices are uncontrollable. However, efficient utilization of fertilizer, harvest timing, grazing management, hay storage and feeding should be well managed for survival in 1998. Producers should concentrate on those practices they can control and consider alternatives. Money should be spent on practices that will likely return a profit. In hard times, it takes an efficient manager to break even or turn a profit.

Producers need an overall management and merchandising plan for 1998. Such a plan would indicate when and how much fertilizer to apply and how the forage would be utilized. Without an overall plan, a producer has very little hope of breaking even in 1998. This paper will list management considerations necessary in surviving the pasture-livestock business in 1998.

Fertilizer is essential for forage production, but there are many management decisions that may reduce the amount of fertilizer needed or make fertilizer more efficient. Some of these management decisions are listed below.

Soil Test

A soil test is essential to find the current fertility level of a soil, to determine what kinds and amounts of nutrients are needed to produce the forage yields required.

Lime

Plants have a low efficiency for recovery of soil nutrients from an acid soil. Increasing the soil pH to 6 or better will make soil nutrients more available to plants. The higher soil pH will also help rhizobia in the soil to fix nitrogen when establishing legumes in the fall.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen influences the amount of forage produced and its protein content. Place the highest rate of nitrogen on the most productive soils. The efficient use of nitrogen decreases as the rate of nitrogen increases. Consider applying up to100 pounds of nitrogen per acre for the first hay cutting when the probability of rain is highest.

Phosphorus

This element may be reduced or not applied for a year if the soil levels are medium to high, according to a soil test. Phosphorus is expensive and lasts longer in the soil because it does not leach with rainfall. If in times of high fertilizer prices the soil test indicates that phosphorus is at the upper end of the medium range or at the high level, it can be eliminated for one to two years without significant yield reductions. If the soil test shows that soil phosphorus is low or very low, it should be applied to prevent a thinning of stands and crop failure.

Potassium

The potassium requirement of forage plants is almost equal to their nitrogen needs. Do not neglect potassium if the soil test shows it is needed; otherwise, reduced yields and stand of bermudagrass will follow. Potassium gives grass plants drought, disease and cold tolerance.

Animal Manure

Poultry litter and dairy waste are viable alternatives for commercial fertilizer. Animal manure contains slow-release nitrogen along with phosphorus, potassium and other plant nutrients. Animal manure does not provide nutrients in the correct ratio for plants, so extra nitrogen and potassium will need to be applied for optimum forage growth. The increased organic matter will help improve soil structure and water and nutrient-holding capacity. The nutrient and water content of litter is quite variable. A sample should be analyzed for nutrient content. The average nutrient and water content can be used in determining the cost/benefit of animal manure in relation to chemical fertilizer before contracting.

Weed Control

Weeds consume fertilizer but provide little forage. Removing weeds for improved yields and quality of forage is a good management practice. Fertilize grass -- not weeds. Weeds should be controlled with the most economically effective method, which may include herbicides, winter pastures, grazing management or mechanical.

Timely Fertilizer Application

The next major rainfall probability is in September. Although this is late in the season, forage production from warm season grasses can be obtained. If conditions look favorable during early September, an application of fertilizer could provide good growth for fall grazing or a cutting of hay.

With pastures grazed short because of drought, this fall may be the most favorable time to try sod-seeded winter pastures or legumes. Plan now for winter pastures planted either on a prepared seedbed or sod-seeded on warm season pastures. Now is the time to obtain soil tests to determine the most productive winter pasture, prepare seedbeds and book planting seed.. Consult with your county Extension Agent for best varieties locally, seeding rates and planting dates.

Timely Harvest

Hay harvest should be made when 10% bermudagrass seedheads are showing. Harvesting adequately fertilized grass at the right stage of maturity allows for a high quality hay with a 10% to12% protein. Harvesting before seedheads appear should produce hay with a protein content above 12% when fertilized properly. The hay should be removed immediately and the meadow should be refertilized, if a second hay harvest is planned.

Harvest Excess Forage

Any time excess forage is produced, it should be harvested while there is good quality remaining. Excess forage should not be allowed to go to waste. This includes ryegrass, small grains, clovers, bermudagrass and bahiagrass.

Fertilizer Response

The pounds of forage produced per pound of nitrogen applied decreases as the nitrogen rate increases. More hay can be produced by cutting two acres fertilized with 100 pounds nitrogen than cutting one acre fertilized twice with 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Apply fertilizer for hay production to fields that have a record of good production. The first two hay harvests have the highest probability of receiving rainfall to utilize fertilizer for forage production.

Inventory

An inventory of animals to be carried over next winter and an inventory of hay on hand should be made. By knowing the number of animals and the amount of hay left over, the number of rolls of hay that will need to be produced or purchased this year can be calculated. Usually, 2 to 3 rolls of hay are required to winter a cow. If excess hay is required, the number of animals may need to be reduced, or purchase extra hay. Low performing animals can be culled this summer while they are in good shape.

Hay Storage

The cost of hay will be higher in 1998. This further emphasizes the need for some sort of hay storage to preserve quality. A round bale of hay will cost $30 to $40 to produce in 1998. The loss of one-fourth to one-third of an expensive hay crop can equal enough money to pay for a barn in a few years.

Hay Feeding

The use of hay rings and hay feeding trailers helps reduce hay loss. Unrolling the amount of hay required each day results in the least loss. If the amount of hay lost during feeding can be reduced now and next winter, less hay will need to be produced this summer. Studies have indicated a feeding loss of 20% to 35%, depending upon the weather. Round bales can be unrolled to feed only the amount of hay required and reduce the required hay by up to one-third.

Save This Year's Hay

Try to store this year's leftover hay for use next year. The more good quality hay conserved this year, the less acres will need to be fertilized this spring. Without good storage, the hay can be sold this year while the hay market it high.

Lease More Land

Leasing more land instead of fertilizing will help only until the land is worn out. Cows winter very poorly on leased land with no fertilizer or little hay. Once the land is mined of its nutrients, a low quantity and quality forage is produced.

Fertilizing Pastures

If only one fertilization is planned, wait to fertilize pastures until around June 1. This will stretch the forage supply.

Rotational Grazing

This provides a means of allowing livestock to graze young, high quality forage. Using a rotational grazing scheme allows a higher utilization of forage. Electric fences provide cross fences at a reasonable price. Livestock can be maintained on young forage, and excess forage in other pastures can be harvested for hay.

Summer Legumes

These include alfalfa, cowpeas, Lespedeza and alyce clover. The production of any summer legume is very limited now. Cowpeas have been grown a long time but only on limited acres; however, they are the most reliable summer annual legumes available. Summer annual legume crops need to be planted on a prepared seedbed in May. Alfalfa is showing promise when interplanted into coastal bermudagrass on some soils. Alfalfa planting is done in October on soils that have a pH of 7.0 or higher, and well drained. Apply lime and incorporate it into the soil in late winter and early spring to allow the bermudagrass to reestablish and not lose the spring forage growth. Medium-high phosphorus and potassium levels and boron are needed in the soil. Lespedeza and alyce clover have had limited success up to the present time.

Winter Legumes

Crimson, Red, White, Ball, Arrowleaf, vetch and other clovers grow readily in many places. A soil pH of 6.0 or higher is required. A medium to high level of soil phosphorus and potassium also is needed. When managed and grazed properly, legumes overseeded on bermudagrass and other warm season perennial grasses can reduce the nitrogen needed by the summer grasses, extend the grazing season and provide early season weed control.

Reduce all unnecessary expenditures; mine the soil for a year or so if nutrients are available. Incorporate sound animal husbandry practices of nutrition, rebreeding and culling. Each animal needs to be self-accountable. There are no "free rides", no "free lunches" and no "free grazing!"

It is hoped that the ideas presented in this paper will help producers and dealers in managing forage and livestock in 1998.