Craig A. RobertsDepartment of Agronomy
Annual lespedeza is an acid-tolerant, drought-resistant, summer annual legume useful for pasture, hay and soil improvement. The two species of annual lespedeza grown in Missouri are Kummerowia striata (common) and Kummerowia stipulacea (Korean). Common lespedeza, a striate type, was first reported growing in Georgia in 1846. Because it came from Japan, it was called "Jap clover;" later it became known as common lespedeza. It grew in southern Missouri shortly after the Civil War. Another striate variety, named Kobe, was introduced from Japan in 1919. Kobe grows much larger than common lespedeza, is more erect and produces more hay or pasture. The striate varieties mature later and require a longer growing season than Korean. They are better adapted to the southern part of Missouri and states to the south. The common types also are more tolerant of lower fertility and more acid soils.
Korean lespedeza was introduced into the United States from Korea in 1919. Its introduction into Missouri was in 1921, when the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station received a spoonful of seed from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After five years of intensive study at the University of Missouri, the experiment station sent five-pound packages of seed to 30 farmers for on-the-farm tests. All the farmers sent back encouraging reports. Acceptance of the crop was outstanding, and planted acreage in Missouri peaked at about 6 million acres in the early 1950s.
Plant description and use
Korean lespedeza (Figure 1) has broad, heart-shaped leaflets that are distinctly veined, while common and Kobe leaves are longer and less rounded on the ends. The few small hairs on the stems of the Korean varieties slant upward in contrast to those on common or Kobe. Flowers of both species range from purple to light pink. After flowering, leaves of Korean turn forward around the seed pod, which helps reduce seed shattering. Leaves of the common type do not fold around the seed pod, so they are more susceptible to shattering. The seeds of Korean lespedeza grow in clusters at the terminal end of each branch, while seeds of common lespedeza are set in leaf axils along the entire length of the stem.
Figure 1Korean lespedeza in vegetative growth stage.
The most common earlier use of lespedeza was in an annual rotation with small grain. The initial seeding of lespedeza would be made into the small grain during late winter or early spring. The small grain would be harvested for pasture or grain, then lespedeza would be used for summer pasture or cut for hay. About the time the lespedeza was making seed, the ground would be worked and seeded back to small grains. Korean lespedeza also was grown alone for use as summer pasture or harvested for a good quality hay crop. It also was successfully planted into many acres of bluegrass pasture in central and northern Missouri. Lespedeza was used extensively in new seedings of orchardgrass or tall fescue in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Growth habits
Annual lespedezas will germinate in early spring but usually grow very little until June. Growth and seed production are related to photoperiod (day length), and most of lespedeza's forage production occurs during the long days in July and August. Plants are drought resistant and respond well to favorable conditions. Dry conditions may reduce growth, but the plants recover quickly following summer rains. Plants are more drought resistant in the seedling stage than alfalfa or clovers. Severe late-spring freezes may kill some of the early germinating lespedeza plants, but the problem is not as bad as with clovers. Mature lespedeza plants are killed by the first hard frost in the fall.
Clipping the top of lespedeza (grazing or mowing) will stop upward growth, causing lower branches to spread along the ground. It will withstand heavy trampling and will produce some seed even under heavy grazing. Lespedeza can compete well with most of the cool-season grasses if nitrogen (N) applications are kept low. The severity of grazing the companion grass will influence the rates at which nitrogen can be applied safely. However, most fertilizer applications containing more than 30 pounds of N per acre will reduce stands of lespedeza.
Managing for best results
With proper management, annual lespedezas are easy to establish, reseed dependably and produce nutritious feed for most classes of livestock. The forage from lespedeza is fine-stemmed, with a high percentage of leaves, and does not cause bloat. Proper management, plus some summer rain, will allow lespedeza to produce quality pasture during midsummer when companion cool-season grasses are of low quality and not very productive.
Lespedeza pasture can be used by all types of livestock but is especially valuable for sheep and cattle backgrounding operations. In a five-year grazing trial near Batesville, Arkansas, yearling cattle gained 1.8 pounds a day on lespedeza. This study reported 80 days of normal grazing time with a stocking rate of 1.1 to 1.5 animal units per acre during July and August. Some early Missouri studies reported the following results of grazing trials with beef steers:
Wheat-lespedeza annual pasture rotations averaged producing 285 pounds of beef per acre, and the steers gained 1.7 pounds per day.
Northern Missouri studies with beef steers on lespedeza-bluegrass pastures receiving no N fertilizer produced 201 pounds of beef per acre and 2.02 pounds average daily gain.
Lespedeza is good pasture for dairy heifers but, when mature, can cause problems in lactating dairy cows. Dairy producers note that grazing lespedeza after it is in bloom decreases milk production.
Lespedeza can be grown with all of the adapted cool-season grasses but performs best with orchardgrass. Early Missouri grazing trials reported more pounds of beef from lespedeza-orchardgrass than from lespedeza-fescue (endophyte level unknown).
Lespedeza can be rotated with small grains if N applications do not exceed 20 to 30 pounds per acre. Grazing the small grain closely in the spring will help lespedeza survive applications of N.
Lespedeza has an added value where quail production is important because annual lespedeza seed is an excellent quail food.
Hay yield and quality
Lespedeza will produce less forage per acre than properly managed alfalfa or clover but can be maintained with lower production costs.
Feeding trials report that lespedeza hay is only slightly less valuable than alfalfa for wintering calves and dairy heifers. However, lespedeza hay is inferior to alfalfa when fed to lactating dairy cows. It makes excellent hay for sheep and all types of beef cattle. Lespedeza leaves contain approximately twice as much protein as stems.
Early studies in Tennessee reported that lespedeza yields increased with maturity, and percent leaf declined as maturity advanced (Table 1).
Table 1Hay and percent leaf yields of Korean lespedeza in Tennessee
Species
Hay yield
Leaves only
Percent leaves
Korean, pre-bloom
1.08 tons per acre
0.77 tons per acre
68.42
Korean, first bloom
1.84 tons per acre
1.17 tons per acre
61.85
Korean, late bloom
2.37 tons per acre
1.17 tons per acre
53.15
Missouri farmers ordinarily can produce 1 to 2 tons of lespedeza per acre depending on variations in weather and management. Lespedeza should be harvested for hay no later than early bloom stage. This stage of maturity will produce quality forage and still allow time for the plants to produce seed. Six to 8 inches of growth above the cutter bar will produce at least 1 ton of hay per acre if harvested properly.
To avoid severe leaf loss at hay making, cut, condition and windrow in one operation. A characteristic that aids in the curing of lespedeza is that its small stems contain low amounts of water. Good curing weather may make it possible to cut in the morning and bale in the afternoon of the same day.
Fertility management
Annual lespedezas grow on most well-drained soils, tolerate low fertility, yet respond to soil treatment -- especially lime and phosphorus. Some early fertility studies in Missouri reported that yields of lespedeza more than doubled from applications of lime plus phosphorus and potash (P and K). It also was reported that the yield response of lespedeza to lime, P and K may increase greatly after the legume has occupied the land long enough to deplete the available soil nutrients. Proper applications of lime and phosphorus are important on the state's shallow soils.
Missouri researchers report that lespedeza performs well in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.0. The pH should not be allowed to drop below 5.0 or growth of lespedeza will be depressed. Applications of K usually give a marked response after the soil has been limed and phosphated.
Soil test reports for the shallower Missouri soils recommend 40 to 60 pounds P plus 30 to 60 pounds K for annual topdressings of lespedeza-grass pasture. Use slightly more K for hay production.
Topdressing as little as 30 pounds of N in spring will decrease yields of lespedeza and increase spring grass production. A fertility study in central Missouri reported that 60 pounds N and 120 pounds N per acre seriously reduced summer production of lespedeza in tall fescue-lespedeza pastures.
Seeding rates and establishmentFor pure lespedeza stands, seed 20 pounds of seed per acre. In mixed stands, seed 15 pounds per acre of either type as a dormant seeding into established cool-season grasses. When spring drilling as a companion legume with a cool-season grass, seed 10 pounds per acre of either lespedeza type with the proper amount of grass seed.
Certified lespedeza seed will be at least 78 percent pure live seed (PLS) and contain about 236,000 seeds per pound.
Lespedeza usually is established as a pure stand following small grains or as a companion legume with cool-season grasses. In a pure stand, the higher rates are necessary for top yields. In mixed stands, a lower rate is suggested when the grass and lespedeza are sown together rather than seeded into an existing stand.
Lespedeza has proven to be competitive with cool-season grass seedlings when spring seedings are made late or when soil moisture is limited. Be prepared to mow or lightly graze the lespedeza in summer to ensure that the seedling grass plants survive.
Sow lespedeza with the grass in March or April. If adding to fall-seeded grass, apply lespedeza on top of the ground in the winter to allow time for freezing and thawing to cover some of the seed. Do not seed lespedeza in the fall. It is an annual and will be killed if it germinates in the fall. You can add lespedeza successfully to old stands of grass by broadcasting during the winter. You'll get better results when the grass sod is lightly disked before applying seed.
A fertilizer application containing 40 to 60 pounds of phosphate (zero N) helps the lespedeza compete and make desirable summer growth. Give the small, slow-growing lespedeza plants more of a chance to survive by grazing the companion grass close until the lespedeza has started good, fast growth. Then remove animals until there is adequate growth for either pasture or hay.
Don't inoculate lespedeza seed unless you're seeding in an area where it has never been grown. Be sure to buy inoculum that is specifically for lespedeza; this often will be an inoculum also used for cowpeas.
Varieties
The best lespedeza variety reseeds consistently each year and is disease resistant. Striate lespedezas (common, Kobe) reseed dependably only when grown in the southern one-third of Missouri because of the longer growing season.
Korean types of lespedeza in Missouri are susceptible to bacterial wilt and tar spot. Disease pressure varies from year to year, but disease resistance must be considered in selecting varieties. Early Missouri studies found bacterial wilt to be most destructive in old volunteer stands of Korean subjected to heavy grazing. Korean produces satisfactory yields in years when bacterial wilt and tar spot are not serious problems.
Summit was released by Arkansas and Missouri in 1962. Summit produces good yields throughout the state, is slightly later (about seven days) in maturity than Korean and has some resistance to bacterial wilt and tar spot. It is becoming more difficult to get pure seed supplies of this variety.
Kobe is resistant to these serious diseases. The major problem with Kobe is that it matures later in the season than Korean and may not produce seed before the first killing frost. Kobe usually produces acceptable amounts of seed in the southern third of the state in years without an unseasonably early frost.
Summary
Annual lespedeza is a nonbloating legume that can be grown on most soils of Missouri. It is easy to establish, reseeds itself except under severe drought conditions and produces nutritious forage during hot summer conditions. Lespedeza tolerates low fertility but responds to applications of lime and phosphorus. It provides quality pasture at a time when cool-season grasses are of low quality and are producing very little. Lespedeza produces good seed yields for combining and makes quality food for bobwhite quail.
Lespedeza grows slowly in the spring and produces very little pasture before late June. Dry matter yields of lespedeza are lower than alfalfa or clover when grown under favorable growing conditions. Lespedeza occasionally may fail to reseed under extremely hot, dry growing conditions. Kobe may not reseed in years with unseasonably early frosts. Diseases can cause serious reductions in yields of Korean lespedeza. New variety releases give some protection from diseases and add to the forage yield potential of lespedeza.
The information in this publication was originally developed by former extension specialist Jimmy C. Henning.
Copyright 1993 to 2007 University of Missouri. Published by MU Extension, all rights reserved.
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Friday, May 2, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
What I've Learned About Quality Pasture-part VI
You may remember from a previous article that I had mentioned grazing the grass just a few inches, kills the same amount of root thereby creating organic matter in the soil. This is a good thing. There needs to be lots of organic matter in the soil to feed the microbes. But here is another thing. Leaving a lot of leaf on the plant allows the grass to capture more of the available, late season sunlight for regrowth. Around here, it freezes and remains fairly cold in the winter. However, in the deep South, winter grazing is a very real thing. The winters are warmer there, obviously, so the potential for winter growth is great, indeed. Around here, the days are short in the in the fall, but is still relatively warm well into December. The trick is to develop a system that allows for the growth of late season grass. Such as Tall Fescue. Jim Gerrish says that not another grass compares to the nutritive value of Tall Fescue in cool weather. So the logical step is to plant some Tall Fescue. The management of that would be to maintain a leaf presence that will allow the fescue to grab all the sunlight it can, even during the shorter days.
As for the pasture mix, Alan Nation recommends a sizable portion of you pasture to be warm season perennials, over seeded with a short season annual. This recommendation is for the deep South, but I think it can be tweaked for those of us in the not-so-deep-South.
On the topic of legumes and what to plant, if anything, has been gnawing at me. Our land is very acidic. It grows blackberry brambles and queen Ann's lace very well. We do have some little bluestem, orchard grass and fescue. I don't know about the orchard grass, but the little blue stem doesn't come on until June. We have no legumes other than a few incidental plants that sprang up from some red clover hay we fed last year. So what do I plant?
In this book, Mr Nation spends little time on grass species and what all their attributes are. But the little he does talk about them are golden nuggets, in my eyes. I was reading one of those nuggets about Lespedeza. It piqued my interest because I know that many farmers and ranchers around here use it or have used it in the past. I had developed a bad taste in my mouth because of all the Sericea Lespedeza we have here. "A DNR fiasco", I would say. Then, quite by accident, we found that the Dexters will eat it. So that got me kind of changing my mind, but not totally. Then I read about Korean Lespedeza in this book (Quality Pasture by Alan Nation). Now, I believe that I have completely changed my mind.
Korean Lespedeza looks to be the immediate answer to my "legumes won't grow in acidic soil" problem. It can be sown by broadcasting, which is a bonus because we don't own any tilling equipment or machinery. It can be sown into existing pastures, another bonus. But here is the kicker. Lespedeza, based on research in our state (MO.), showed that lime on heavily acidic soil will improve the yield. So, not only will it grow on our soil, but it will grow better with lime, something that needs to be done anyway.
The ideal use for Lespedeza is for summer pasture. Here is the plan, thus far. Some kind of annual Ryegrass and small grain, then lespedeza in the summer. Once the Lespedeza is established it may be managed through volunteer reseeding. Another bonus.
That's not all. I read that Lespedeza can withstand close grazing. That seems to have been a major mistake of mine. I have allowed the cows to graze the pasture too short in the past. I have to manage the grazing so to leave some leaf of the plant to encourage new growth. But, if I should slip into my old habits, the Lespedeza can take it.
Lespedeza will reseed itself from Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to the Atlantic coast states. It appears that North of the Iowa-Missouri state line the value of Lespedeza is limited. The Korean variety is recommended for eastern Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and across southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It can provide a quality legume forage during the hot summer slump. This may be it for us. Like I said, I know a lot of farmers around here have, or do, use it.
(Remember to look for Alan Nations book, "Quality Pasture". Check out the Stockman GrassFarmer's website.)
As for the pasture mix, Alan Nation recommends a sizable portion of you pasture to be warm season perennials, over seeded with a short season annual. This recommendation is for the deep South, but I think it can be tweaked for those of us in the not-so-deep-South.
On the topic of legumes and what to plant, if anything, has been gnawing at me. Our land is very acidic. It grows blackberry brambles and queen Ann's lace very well. We do have some little bluestem, orchard grass and fescue. I don't know about the orchard grass, but the little blue stem doesn't come on until June. We have no legumes other than a few incidental plants that sprang up from some red clover hay we fed last year. So what do I plant?
In this book, Mr Nation spends little time on grass species and what all their attributes are. But the little he does talk about them are golden nuggets, in my eyes. I was reading one of those nuggets about Lespedeza. It piqued my interest because I know that many farmers and ranchers around here use it or have used it in the past. I had developed a bad taste in my mouth because of all the Sericea Lespedeza we have here. "A DNR fiasco", I would say. Then, quite by accident, we found that the Dexters will eat it. So that got me kind of changing my mind, but not totally. Then I read about Korean Lespedeza in this book (Quality Pasture by Alan Nation). Now, I believe that I have completely changed my mind.
Korean Lespedeza looks to be the immediate answer to my "legumes won't grow in acidic soil" problem. It can be sown by broadcasting, which is a bonus because we don't own any tilling equipment or machinery. It can be sown into existing pastures, another bonus. But here is the kicker. Lespedeza, based on research in our state (MO.), showed that lime on heavily acidic soil will improve the yield. So, not only will it grow on our soil, but it will grow better with lime, something that needs to be done anyway.
The ideal use for Lespedeza is for summer pasture. Here is the plan, thus far. Some kind of annual Ryegrass and small grain, then lespedeza in the summer. Once the Lespedeza is established it may be managed through volunteer reseeding. Another bonus.
That's not all. I read that Lespedeza can withstand close grazing. That seems to have been a major mistake of mine. I have allowed the cows to graze the pasture too short in the past. I have to manage the grazing so to leave some leaf of the plant to encourage new growth. But, if I should slip into my old habits, the Lespedeza can take it.
Lespedeza will reseed itself from Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to the Atlantic coast states. It appears that North of the Iowa-Missouri state line the value of Lespedeza is limited. The Korean variety is recommended for eastern Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and across southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It can provide a quality legume forage during the hot summer slump. This may be it for us. Like I said, I know a lot of farmers around here have, or do, use it.
(Remember to look for Alan Nations book, "Quality Pasture". Check out the Stockman GrassFarmer's website.)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
One More Note on Lespedeza
I was walking around the farm the other day and came across some Korean Lespedeza growing in one spot. So, I started looking around and found some more. This indicates to me that, at some time in the past, this Lespedeza grew here. Now that I know what it looks like, anyway. I have pulled it out of the garden, in seasons past, and fed it to the cows, not knowing what it was, but the cows loved it. Now that I have found it growing here I am discouraged. It is growing in places other than my pastures! It is coming up in the orchard and garden and on the driveway. I planted it in a mixture this past February in the pasture, but haven't noticed it sprouting yet. (The ground may not be warm enough for seedlings yet as it is a warm season plant.) But hey, I now know that it will grow on this soil.
Read the article below for a good description on this type of Lespedeza.
Read the article below for a good description on this type of Lespedeza.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Pasture Walking
My son and I did a pasture walk this afternoon with two purposes in mind. One, to kill time before dinner and, two, to give things a good look over and check progress. It is a good idea to do this often. You won't know what is going on out there unless you look at it.
The grass is growing. Rather slowly for my taste. We have had plenty of rain thus far with more on the way, but it is still slow in coming. I wonder if this is a sign of low N. Anyway, I am anxious to get started on my rotation program and have already had to quarantine the animals to let the grass grow. But I'm almost out of hay and I really don't want to get any more.
I was excited though, as we saw the Korean Lespedeza coming up all over (not in huge quantities, yet) with little flowers on the tips. I showed it to my son and told him what it is. He thinks I'm the smartest guy in the world, far be it from me to burst his bubble. It is this string of fellowship that will bind us together. We need that, as every child does. More so for him, given most of his young life was spent in foster care. Lord willing, this will be his last stop.
Anyway, my excitement rubbed off on him and we both looked kind of silly out there whoopin' and hollerin' over the Lespedeza. Who would have thought that grass or legumes would excite me. Not long ago I was an athlete and competitive cyclist and sports excited me. Now I'm into grass and pastoral landscapes. What a transformation.
I had thought that, due to all the rain we've had, the Lespedeza seed washed away, but not so. Praise God! It is still too short for for sustainability, yet, I can't hardly stand long grass. Needless to say, I am having an inner conflict between the "manicured lawn" guy and the "feed the cows" guy. Any advice on how to conquer this turmoil is greatly appreciated.
I am going to ease them (the cows) into the program, trying to save some grass for later in the summer. This management intensive thing is really intensive. I will keep track of what paddocks get used and when and how long. I need to check the rest period between them to ensure adequate regrowth and prevent overgrazing. The purpose is to get further into the fall than I have in the past. Keep checking back, I'm still learning.
The grass is growing. Rather slowly for my taste. We have had plenty of rain thus far with more on the way, but it is still slow in coming. I wonder if this is a sign of low N. Anyway, I am anxious to get started on my rotation program and have already had to quarantine the animals to let the grass grow. But I'm almost out of hay and I really don't want to get any more.
I was excited though, as we saw the Korean Lespedeza coming up all over (not in huge quantities, yet) with little flowers on the tips. I showed it to my son and told him what it is. He thinks I'm the smartest guy in the world, far be it from me to burst his bubble. It is this string of fellowship that will bind us together. We need that, as every child does. More so for him, given most of his young life was spent in foster care. Lord willing, this will be his last stop.
Anyway, my excitement rubbed off on him and we both looked kind of silly out there whoopin' and hollerin' over the Lespedeza. Who would have thought that grass or legumes would excite me. Not long ago I was an athlete and competitive cyclist and sports excited me. Now I'm into grass and pastoral landscapes. What a transformation.
I had thought that, due to all the rain we've had, the Lespedeza seed washed away, but not so. Praise God! It is still too short for for sustainability, yet, I can't hardly stand long grass. Needless to say, I am having an inner conflict between the "manicured lawn" guy and the "feed the cows" guy. Any advice on how to conquer this turmoil is greatly appreciated.
I am going to ease them (the cows) into the program, trying to save some grass for later in the summer. This management intensive thing is really intensive. I will keep track of what paddocks get used and when and how long. I need to check the rest period between them to ensure adequate regrowth and prevent overgrazing. The purpose is to get further into the fall than I have in the past. Keep checking back, I'm still learning.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Pasture Crawling?
If you follow rotational grazing, or, mangement intensive grazing, you know that pasture walking is an important aspect of your management. It is important to get a look and feel of the condition of your pastures, to see bald spots or other damage that needs repair. Or to find holes that might need filled. Most importantly, you can get a feel for the condition of the soil, based on the life on the surface. We have been working on this soil, here, for several years now.
Today, I did a pasture crawl. Yup, you heard me right, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled around on the ground. No, my eye sight isn't so bad, yet, but I did want a closer look at some legumes and I just stayed down there.
I am excited as we have legumes, clover and Korean Lespedeza, growing, voluntarily, in our pastures. These two legumes are spotty, but there none the less. This is good news. Legumes are nitrogen fixers. They capture the N in the air and transfer it to the soil, which makes for healthier grass. Grass need N to grow at all.
This is something that I have not been very pro-active about planting. Not because I didn't want to, but, because I just haven't, for what ever reason. I did throw down some seed a few years ago, but never saw anything from it. I grazed it way too soon after soing that it was probably eaten before it got established.
I have written before about inadvertant planting, and I think this is how the clover and lespedeza got there. When I feed hay, I scatter it in different places, trying not to feed in the same place twice. There are seed in the hay and the cows, with their magnificent hooves, plant the seed for me. It is quite wonderful to watch God's creation do what it is supposed to do.
While down on my knees, I tried a clover leaf. The first taste seemed good, but then there was the after taste. I'm glad cows like it, I didn't think too highly of it. I will stick to eating it in the form of meat and milk. It tastes much better that way.
Leave some comments sharing what you discover on your pasture walks, or, crawls, as it were.
Today, I did a pasture crawl. Yup, you heard me right, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled around on the ground. No, my eye sight isn't so bad, yet, but I did want a closer look at some legumes and I just stayed down there.
I am excited as we have legumes, clover and Korean Lespedeza, growing, voluntarily, in our pastures. These two legumes are spotty, but there none the less. This is good news. Legumes are nitrogen fixers. They capture the N in the air and transfer it to the soil, which makes for healthier grass. Grass need N to grow at all.
This is something that I have not been very pro-active about planting. Not because I didn't want to, but, because I just haven't, for what ever reason. I did throw down some seed a few years ago, but never saw anything from it. I grazed it way too soon after soing that it was probably eaten before it got established.
I have written before about inadvertant planting, and I think this is how the clover and lespedeza got there. When I feed hay, I scatter it in different places, trying not to feed in the same place twice. There are seed in the hay and the cows, with their magnificent hooves, plant the seed for me. It is quite wonderful to watch God's creation do what it is supposed to do.
While down on my knees, I tried a clover leaf. The first taste seemed good, but then there was the after taste. I'm glad cows like it, I didn't think too highly of it. I will stick to eating it in the form of meat and milk. It tastes much better that way.
Leave some comments sharing what you discover on your pasture walks, or, crawls, as it were.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sorry for the delay
I just wanted to give a quick blurb about some stuff we did until I can actually sit down and write a full article. We have been off line for a couple of days and very busy, so I haven't been as diligent as I would like.
But, as I've said, I came up with my pasture mixture and bought some seeds. We got annual rye for a good cool season grass that produces well in clay-ish, acidic soi. Also we bought some orchard grass which is a good complimentary grass to annual rye. For the legume, we went with Korean lespedeza, which also grows well in our type of soil. The cool season grasses should kick us off earlier this year and the little blue stem that is already present should pick up in June.
To sow the seeds, I came up with the idea to let the cattle do the work by throwing it down in various spots when I feed hay, letting them trample it in. I try to feed in a different spot in the pasture every feeding to promote organic matter in the soil. So, I think this method should work well, providing the free range layers don't go and eat it all.
I will make an effort to write some more in detail in the very near future. Thanks for your patience. God bless.
But, as I've said, I came up with my pasture mixture and bought some seeds. We got annual rye for a good cool season grass that produces well in clay-ish, acidic soi. Also we bought some orchard grass which is a good complimentary grass to annual rye. For the legume, we went with Korean lespedeza, which also grows well in our type of soil. The cool season grasses should kick us off earlier this year and the little blue stem that is already present should pick up in June.
To sow the seeds, I came up with the idea to let the cattle do the work by throwing it down in various spots when I feed hay, letting them trample it in. I try to feed in a different spot in the pasture every feeding to promote organic matter in the soil. So, I think this method should work well, providing the free range layers don't go and eat it all.
I will make an effort to write some more in detail in the very near future. Thanks for your patience. God bless.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Get A Leg Up On Your Legumes
I, for some reason, had the legume Birdsfoot Trefoil stuck in my head today. Don't ask me why. Maybe God was trying to tell me what Legume to try in the pasture next spring, who knows. Any way, I did a Google search for it and found a very informative article about this legume. It would appear that it will grow well in Missouri, but it grows best in the central and northern parts of the state.
What I liked about it, was that soil condition doesn't have to be the greatest for it to grow, much like Korean Lespedeza which I planted through trampling, and did come up, but I grazed to quickly so I lost it. (Lesson learned).
There are two downsides to Birdsfoot, that I could see, the first being soil drainage. If your soil does not drain well, the roots of the trefoil will rot quickly, according to Missouri State Extension. The other downer is that it will not produce enough to make good hay. In other words, it will feed the cattle and collect N from the atmosphere, but don't expect much tonnage in hay.
I will be giving this legume some more thought. I haven't even looked into how much the seed might cost, that is the difference between a good pasture and a struggling one, for us. Once I see the price per pound, I usually start looking for another idea. It is hard to accept the price per pound of grass seed.
Click the links above and read some interesting research on Birdsfoot Trefoil from the University of Missouri. Enjoy your education on grass and let me know if you have more knowledge that you can share with this silly, learning, farmer wannabe.
What I liked about it, was that soil condition doesn't have to be the greatest for it to grow, much like Korean Lespedeza which I planted through trampling, and did come up, but I grazed to quickly so I lost it. (Lesson learned).
There are two downsides to Birdsfoot, that I could see, the first being soil drainage. If your soil does not drain well, the roots of the trefoil will rot quickly, according to Missouri State Extension. The other downer is that it will not produce enough to make good hay. In other words, it will feed the cattle and collect N from the atmosphere, but don't expect much tonnage in hay.
I will be giving this legume some more thought. I haven't even looked into how much the seed might cost, that is the difference between a good pasture and a struggling one, for us. Once I see the price per pound, I usually start looking for another idea. It is hard to accept the price per pound of grass seed.
Click the links above and read some interesting research on Birdsfoot Trefoil from the University of Missouri. Enjoy your education on grass and let me know if you have more knowledge that you can share with this silly, learning, farmer wannabe.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Spring is Coming-I Think
Wednesday I received my new pigtail fence posts and O'Briens reel from Pwerflex Fence. Check out their website at www.powerflexfence.com It is well worth a look-see if you are at all interested in grazing.
I can't wait for spring now. My plan is to accomplish a pseudo mob grazing program. I say "pseudo" because our herd is very small, but I am confident that much the same can be accomplished through paddock size adjustment.
Come May, we will be able to run all the animals together, including the bull, giving us a rotation that will allow for approximately 15-20 day rest periods. Wheather or not this rest period will be long enough, remains to be seen. Much will depend on the amount of moisture we get here. So far though, we are 2" or better above average moisture in February. Some have said that this has been the wettest February on record. This is a good thing, as much as I hate to admit that. The water table is being built up and the ground is retaining moisture. This will add to the spring blow up. I am eagerly anticipating that as well, as I have planted annual rye and orchard grass for the cool season. I have noticed the rye coming up already during the days of warmpth in between the days of nasty.
For the warm season, I have sown Korean Lespedeza for the legume to compliment the little bluestem and fescue that grows here. (Along with the weeds, of course!)
I still need to order a quarter mile of polywire and some handles. Then I'll be ready. After all of that, I can concentrate on the new chicken tractor. I beginning to doubt if I'll be ready for the spring lush when it hits, but I'm gonna try!
I am also struggling to stay awake at night long enough to read "Quality Pasture". But I have not given up on my desire to share with all of you what I have learned. Keep popping in, I'll get something new up on that subject soon. Thank you for your patience. Until then, happy farming!
I can't wait for spring now. My plan is to accomplish a pseudo mob grazing program. I say "pseudo" because our herd is very small, but I am confident that much the same can be accomplished through paddock size adjustment.
Come May, we will be able to run all the animals together, including the bull, giving us a rotation that will allow for approximately 15-20 day rest periods. Wheather or not this rest period will be long enough, remains to be seen. Much will depend on the amount of moisture we get here. So far though, we are 2" or better above average moisture in February. Some have said that this has been the wettest February on record. This is a good thing, as much as I hate to admit that. The water table is being built up and the ground is retaining moisture. This will add to the spring blow up. I am eagerly anticipating that as well, as I have planted annual rye and orchard grass for the cool season. I have noticed the rye coming up already during the days of warmpth in between the days of nasty.
For the warm season, I have sown Korean Lespedeza for the legume to compliment the little bluestem and fescue that grows here. (Along with the weeds, of course!)
I still need to order a quarter mile of polywire and some handles. Then I'll be ready. After all of that, I can concentrate on the new chicken tractor. I beginning to doubt if I'll be ready for the spring lush when it hits, but I'm gonna try!
I am also struggling to stay awake at night long enough to read "Quality Pasture". But I have not given up on my desire to share with all of you what I have learned. Keep popping in, I'll get something new up on that subject soon. Thank you for your patience. Until then, happy farming!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Patience, is a virtue.
I made a decision that, I hope, will impact the depth into which we can go into fall or winter without hay. I had begun the rotational plan that I had eagerly waited to try. We have had plenty of rain here this spring and the grass is growing. I am seeing the fruit of our efforts, I spread chicken waste on the pastures, feed hay in various spots, sowed annual Rye, orchard grass and Korean Lespedeza. These things are now becoming visible, our land is greener than it has been in the past. All of these things are positive, of course.
On the negative side, the grass isn't getting tall or thick. I was afraid of this, knowing that I am an impatient man. Like I said, I began the rotation, excited to finally get off the hay. However, I got to thinking that the grass is not getting tall. Then I realized that the cows were eating it as fast as it grew, keeping it very short.
Knowing that, traditionally, around here it tends to dry up around mid June or the first part of July. This scares me, short grass has short roots and, therefore, little tolerance for drought. Not to mention that with every nip of leaf up top, there is the same amount of root killed off. That in itself is a good thing, adding organic matter to the soil, but, again no tolerance for dry weather and will burn up in the heat.
So, what to do? The only option I could think of was to go back to square one. I knew I would get ahead of myself and graze too early, so, I had to start over. I decided to get "one last" load of hay. (I hope this is the last as our supplier is about out.) Then I quarantined the animals in a small area with polywire to feed there and keep them there. The plan is to keep them there until the hay is gone, buying enough time to let the grass get taller. Then the rotation plan should allow for continued regrowth over a 12-15 day rest period. In a nutshell, I had to sacrifice a little land and more expense in hay in order to get a longer grazing season.
Folks, hay is getting expensive (what isn't?) and we need to manage better in order to survive. The economy issues will play into the grass farmers pockets, because grass farmers tend to think outside the box and operate in a least cost operation, thereby, they are able to weather economic storms better than the traditional farmer who tends to operate under the premise that fuel is cheap. Well, fuel is no longer cheap, and the commodities that are harvested with fuel are no longer cheap, as a result. It behooves us little farmers to grow quality grass, manage it and feed it out over the winter and learn to do this with as little input costs as possible. This is where we want to be.
It is interesting to note how well pastured poultry plays into this idea of grass farming. Their manure gives the land an almost immediate shot of N because of its liquidity. Just yesterday, I cut the grass and killed the mower several time because the grass was so thick. I was not able to cover the entire pastures with the broilers last year. This was in a strip of about one hundred feet. As you can see, if these birds can cover the whole area from their tractors, what a difference that can make. Another area of thick cover was in our orchard, a place the cows don't go, we don't want to damage our young trees. It is thick because of an area in which we used to keep the compost pile. The runoff from that has aided the growth of grass tremendously. I see this principle in action, on a much smaller scale, in the areas I fed hay out in the pasture. Oh how I envy the growth of these areas and want to transfer the grass to the pastures. The pastures are a work in progress and are improving, but they were overrun with brambles and weeds. Like I said, they are getting there.
The key with the chickens is the mob density method. Unfortunately, we don't have enough of them to cover all the pastures. But, those guys are grass machines!
So, I will try to be more patient. I think my patience will pay off in the end, I just tend to want things now. (Ugh!) I just hope the cows can endure looking at the grass grow all around them. They too, must be patient, for they will reap the benefits and be healthier for it. Oh yeah, another thing to think about. Parasites live in the bottom two inches of the grass. So if the cattle are grazing grass in that length, what are they getting? I need to let it grow to six inches or better before hitting it hard. (Ugh again!)
On the negative side, the grass isn't getting tall or thick. I was afraid of this, knowing that I am an impatient man. Like I said, I began the rotation, excited to finally get off the hay. However, I got to thinking that the grass is not getting tall. Then I realized that the cows were eating it as fast as it grew, keeping it very short.
Knowing that, traditionally, around here it tends to dry up around mid June or the first part of July. This scares me, short grass has short roots and, therefore, little tolerance for drought. Not to mention that with every nip of leaf up top, there is the same amount of root killed off. That in itself is a good thing, adding organic matter to the soil, but, again no tolerance for dry weather and will burn up in the heat.
So, what to do? The only option I could think of was to go back to square one. I knew I would get ahead of myself and graze too early, so, I had to start over. I decided to get "one last" load of hay. (I hope this is the last as our supplier is about out.) Then I quarantined the animals in a small area with polywire to feed there and keep them there. The plan is to keep them there until the hay is gone, buying enough time to let the grass get taller. Then the rotation plan should allow for continued regrowth over a 12-15 day rest period. In a nutshell, I had to sacrifice a little land and more expense in hay in order to get a longer grazing season.
Folks, hay is getting expensive (what isn't?) and we need to manage better in order to survive. The economy issues will play into the grass farmers pockets, because grass farmers tend to think outside the box and operate in a least cost operation, thereby, they are able to weather economic storms better than the traditional farmer who tends to operate under the premise that fuel is cheap. Well, fuel is no longer cheap, and the commodities that are harvested with fuel are no longer cheap, as a result. It behooves us little farmers to grow quality grass, manage it and feed it out over the winter and learn to do this with as little input costs as possible. This is where we want to be.
It is interesting to note how well pastured poultry plays into this idea of grass farming. Their manure gives the land an almost immediate shot of N because of its liquidity. Just yesterday, I cut the grass and killed the mower several time because the grass was so thick. I was not able to cover the entire pastures with the broilers last year. This was in a strip of about one hundred feet. As you can see, if these birds can cover the whole area from their tractors, what a difference that can make. Another area of thick cover was in our orchard, a place the cows don't go, we don't want to damage our young trees. It is thick because of an area in which we used to keep the compost pile. The runoff from that has aided the growth of grass tremendously. I see this principle in action, on a much smaller scale, in the areas I fed hay out in the pasture. Oh how I envy the growth of these areas and want to transfer the grass to the pastures. The pastures are a work in progress and are improving, but they were overrun with brambles and weeds. Like I said, they are getting there.
The key with the chickens is the mob density method. Unfortunately, we don't have enough of them to cover all the pastures. But, those guys are grass machines!
So, I will try to be more patient. I think my patience will pay off in the end, I just tend to want things now. (Ugh!) I just hope the cows can endure looking at the grass grow all around them. They too, must be patient, for they will reap the benefits and be healthier for it. Oh yeah, another thing to think about. Parasites live in the bottom two inches of the grass. So if the cattle are grazing grass in that length, what are they getting? I need to let it grow to six inches or better before hitting it hard. (Ugh again!)
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