So I seeded a contractors mix the other day (ky-31, ryegrass) I’d like to stockpile it for my steers I’m going to finish. Do you have any tips to stockpile it? I’m worried about seed heads with the endophyte and such
I learned from Ian Mitchell Innes to graze the grass up through the growing season. Here in Missouri I try to graze my fescue 2-3 times before it would normally head (to keep it vegetative and prevent heading out) because that is when the endophyte is the worst and seed heads irritate cattle’s eyes and can lead to pink eye. Then I’ll usually try and pull off or slow down in August and let the grass grow up to create a thicker stockpile. I do not have any experience with ryegrass. The idea of grazing the grass up is to leave it a little taller each time you graze it and that way you naturally build your stockpile. Good luck on it. I’m about to read Alan nations pasture profits with stocker cattle. Hoping he has some good insights. I usually try and finish my grass finished cattle about December 1. That’s when the lockers open back up after deer season here and have had my best fall finishing grass getting ready to go dormant for the winter.
@@JangusGenetics that makes sense, I’ve got some south poll yearlings at home now and they seem like they finish different. They were from a bull I rented, this years going to be interesting because I bought a wagyu bull that I threw on my angus cows. So how far down do you graze it down? I’m in Kentucky so it’ll get bush hogged and such. I’m just kind of worried because I’ll be rodeoing when it’s growin 🤣
The mower is a tool but I’ve never made any money with it. If you can keep it rotated and keep the brush out it’s a lot cheaper to graze it than mow it. I don’t like to see anything grazed down below 4-6 inches in the growing season. Just remember grass is a giant solar panel. It has to have leaf to utilize photosynthesis. If you leave it too long it goes to head but too short and you stunt it and it steals energy from the roots to regenerate new leaf. Then you are less drought tolerant. There is no perfect answer but I wish you luck in the learning process. Rotational grazing is the only way I have found to optimize rest and regrowth. If you are not rotating best you can do is mow it and pray for rain. Try and not mow it too short if possible remember the solar panel.
So I seeded a contractors mix the other day (ky-31, ryegrass) I’d like to stockpile it for my steers I’m going to finish. Do you have any tips to stockpile it? I’m worried about seed heads with the endophyte and such
I learned from Ian Mitchell Innes to graze the grass up through the growing season. Here in Missouri I try to graze my fescue 2-3 times before it would normally head (to keep it vegetative and prevent heading out) because that is when the endophyte is the worst and seed heads irritate cattle’s eyes and can lead to pink eye. Then I’ll usually try and pull off or slow down in August and let the grass grow up to create a thicker stockpile. I do not have any experience with ryegrass.
The idea of grazing the grass up is to leave it a little taller each time you graze it and that way you naturally build your stockpile.
Good luck on it. I’m about to read Alan nations pasture profits with stocker cattle. Hoping he has some good insights. I usually try and finish my grass finished cattle about December 1. That’s when the lockers open back up after deer season here and have had my best fall finishing grass getting ready to go dormant for the winter.
@@JangusGenetics that makes sense, I’ve got some south poll yearlings at home now and they seem like they finish different. They were from a bull I rented, this years going to be interesting because I bought a wagyu bull that I threw on my angus cows. So how far down do you graze it down? I’m in Kentucky so it’ll get bush hogged and such. I’m just kind of worried because I’ll be rodeoing when it’s growin 🤣
The mower is a tool but I’ve never made any money with it. If you can keep it rotated and keep the brush out it’s a lot cheaper to graze it than mow it. I don’t like to see anything grazed down below 4-6 inches in the growing season. Just remember grass is a giant solar panel. It has to have leaf to utilize photosynthesis. If you leave it too long it goes to head but too short and you stunt it and it steals energy from the roots to regenerate new leaf. Then you are less drought tolerant. There is no perfect answer but I wish you luck in the learning process.
Rotational grazing is the only way I have found to optimize rest and regrowth. If you are not rotating best you can do is mow it and pray for rain. Try and not mow it too short if possible remember the solar panel.
@@JangusGenetics thank you sir for the help!
Good luck!