By: Matthew Webb, County Extension Coordinator
This winter has been very wet and the drudgery of feeding hay to livestock is evident on the faces and voices of every livestock producer and farmer I have encountered or talked to the last few months. I have been impressed and amazed at the different ways and methods that our farmers have used to try to make sure their animals are fed and also put in situations where mud is not affecting animal performance. Most have gone to incredible lengths to ensure animal welfare is a priority. Despite all of their efforts, areas where hay has been fed has been severely damaged due to hoof and tire traffic. What are the forage options for repairing these areas? What weed control measures are there? These are questions that am getting more and more each spring. Unfortunately, researching through literature, there is little solutions available for producers on managing hay feeding areas after winter feeding is over.
Prior to joining Alabama Cooperative Extension, the last three years I served as a County Agent in Tennessee, I was able to look at the problem of repairing hay feeding areas. Each year, I set out a plot in an area that had hay fed continuously from October to March. My goals were to discover options that would have quick ground cover, acceptable yield and weed control, namely pigweed. Why these goals? First, there are a lot of nutrients available in soils after hay feeding so we need something to cover it up quickly so it stays and is used. Second, it would be good if livestock could utilize the area after repair. Third, weeds rob nutrients from more palatable grasses and livestock tend to reject/underutilize areas infested with weeds. Pigweeds tend to be the most troublesome weed in areas after hay feeding. Each year the hay feeding area was roughly disked in late March and seed planted in April. No fertilizer or lime was used.
Results from this plot work were very positive and has given me some confidence in suggesting options on repairing hay feeding areas. Here is what I have discovered:
• Concentrating hay feeding on one area dramatically increases nutrient fertility. There were dramatic increases in phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron. Soil pH was increased as well.
• Tall fescue and white clover failed to establish. Fall is a better time to sow these forages.
• Annual ryegrass and oats provided quick ground cover and yields of one ton/acre in 60 days.
• Annual ryegrass and oats had a negative effect on crabgrass germination and total yields were lower by the end of the season but were still more than 4 tons/acre. Light grazing of these winter annuals may allow more light into the sward to help crabgrass germination. Winter annual grasses such as annual ryegrass and oats would probably produce a better yield if they were sown earlier in winter if you needed the forage.
• Crabgrass, either sown or from the seedbank, produced very good yields and helped reduce weed pressures. Season long accumulated yields was 6 tons/acre or better.
• Using a herbicide with residual activity (GrazonNext or Duracor) did an excellent job with weed control for a longer period of time. Using 2,4-D was also acceptable for pigweed and some broadleaf control. However, it had very little effect on a weed known as prickly sida.
• Hay production from hay feeding areas is possible. The last year we did a better job of disking and leveling out ruts. Crabgrass was sown and Duracor was applied for weed control. On a two acre field, 184 square bales of crabgrass was produced in one cutting without fertilizer. Hay quality was 60% energy and 13% protein. This hay quality is more than adequate to meet the needs of a cow with a calf.
If you would like to try to repair your hay feeding areas this year, here are my suggestions. Disk the hay feeding area in April to early May and I think this is important to smooth out the area and to help spread out any wasted hay. Broadcast crabgrass seed at a rate of 5 lbs per acre. Crabgrass seed is small and light and it would help to mix in fertilizer or pelleted lime in the spreader to increase the spread of the crabgrass seed. You may need to overlap during spreading since the seed will not spread as far as the fertilizer. Use a weed control chemical with good activity on pigweed. Graze when crabgrass is 6-8 inches and leave 3-4 inches. If you plan to harvest hay from these areas, do an extra good job preparing the area before seeding. Harvest crabgrass at 15 to 18 inches tall and be prepared for an extra day of drying. Crabgrass typically is slower drying than a lot of other forage species. Leave 3-4 inches after a hay cut because crabgrass depends on leaf area to regrow more than it does from root reserves. Allow the crabgrass to seed itself out and establish a seed bank. Graze or harvest prior to a frost because crabgrass is not very palatable after the frost.
If you have any questions about this practice, feel free to contact the Alabama Cooperative Extension Office in Jackson County at (256) 574-2143.
