Forages
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B 1567
How to Use a Grazing Stick
Grazing management requires accurate estimates of forage availability to adjust forage supply to meet animal needs. However, incorrect forage availability estimates can negatively impact important grazing-management decisions such as stocking rate and grazing time. Visually estimating pasture yield is inexpensive and fast, but untrained persons can give biased and unreliable estimates. One of the easiest, most affordable, and most reliable estimation options is using a grazing stick or pasture ruler. This publication outlines the procedures used for collecting data in field and calculating available forage for your farm. An additional author is Justin Burt, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia Tifton Campus.
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A good grazing management plan is essential to producer success for any grazing livestock production system. One of the keys to building a grazing management plan is to have a good understanding of the stocking rate on your farm and how this relates to forage availability. Stocking rate is a critical factor in all grazing operations, no matter the livestock species. By accurately determining stocking rate, understanding their grazing management options, and measuring forage availability producers can develop an effective grazing management plan for their operation. Additional author: Justin Burt, Postdoctoral Research Associate, UGA CAES Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
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Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), also referred to as Italian ryegrass, is the most problematic winter annual weed in Georgia hayfields. Seed germinates from September to November when soil temperatures drop below 70 degrees F. Seedlings mature in the fall, overwinter in a vegetative state, and resume active growth in the spring. Annual ryegrass is a prolific seed producer that contributes to annual infestations.
This publication summarizes the growth and identification of this weed. Cultural and chemical control options are also presented for tall fescue, bermudagrass, alfalfa, bahiagrass and other forage legumes grown for hay production.
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This circular is useful for anyone working directly with livestock producers on interpreting and using forage reports. It also provides a “checklist” for taking forage samples from hay or baleage bales. It summarizes how to properly collect a forage sample, read the basic components of the lab’s report, and use the report for developing a basic feed plan.
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Baled silage, or “baleage,” is an excellent method for forage harvest, storage, and feed efficiency. Conserving forage as baleage enables harvests to be performed on a timely basis, allowing harvests to capture higher quality forage. This publication focuses on common questions about making and feeding baleage.
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This publication highlights the role of selenium in animal nutrition; selenium concentration and distribution in soils and feedstuffs (grains and forages) produced in various parts of the United States and in Georgia; disorders resulting from Selenium deficiency or toxicity; various methods of selenium supplementation; and recommendations for selenium management in Georgia. This publication is intended to serve as an educational resource for university researchers and Extension specialists, county Extension agents and livestock, forage and feed producers, among others.
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Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) is a long-lived, perennial warm season grass that is grown extensively in the southeastern United States. It is most commonly used as a pasture species, but can be used for hay production, erosion control, and wildlife habitat. Bahiagrass can also be used in “sod-based rotation” sequences that have been found to suppress pest problems (nematode and disease issues) in crops such as peanuts.
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C 1180
Fescue Toxicosis in Horses
Tall fescue is the primary cool season perennial forage grown in the state of Georgia, and toxicity issues related to the grass can have significant impacts on equine reproduction. Tall fescue is the most heat tolerant of the cool season grasses due to a fungus that grows within the plant called an endophyte. This endophyte produces ergot alkaloids that can have negative effects on animals that eat the infected forage. The toxic effects of the endophyte can be successfully managed by eliminating the grazing or feeding of toxic tall fescue, as described in this publication.
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Measuring, monitoring, and managing forage requires producers to regularly measure how much forage mass is present and how quickly that forage is growing. By using a rising plate meter, producers can assess the forage mass across several pastures quickly and with reasonable accuracy. Then, by comparing available forage in individual paddocks from one week to another, producers can determine the growth rate of the forage. In periods of poor growing conditions, management can be deployed to increase growth rates. In periods of rapid growth rate, decisions can be made to alter grazing sequences or plans can be made to harvest excess forage for hay or baleage. In short, the rising plate meter helps producers to assess the current status of each pasture and then make better decisions to increase the efficient use of that forage.
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