Winter feeding is often the major factor that determines whether producers make or lose money in their cattle operations. Most producers plan on feeding hay three to four months each year.
Because of the high cost of cutting and feeding hay, decreasing the length of time hay needs to be fed will decrease expenses. According to the director of the University of Tennessee Beef and Forage Center, Dr. Gary Bates, one of the easiest and cheapest ways to do this is by stockpiling tall fescue.
“Stockpiling is nothing more than saving forage when it is growing and then grazing it later as needed,” Bates said. “The purpose of stockpiling in the fall is to decrease the amount of hay that needs to be fed during the winter.”
Bates adds that tall fescue is the best perennial grass available for early fall forage production. He advises producers that if one or two fescue pastures can be stockpiled, hay feeding may be delayed one or two months, resulting in less hay and less labor needed to feed during this period.
The basic guidelines for a good stockpiling program are simple and straight forward. Bates lists these steps:
1. Graze or clip the fescue pasture short in early August.
2. Apply 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre in mid to late August.
3. Keep cattle off one or two of the pastures, which will allow the fescue to grow and accumulate.
Later in the fall or winter when the forage is needed, it can then be grazed. Nitrogen should be applied to all tall fescue pastures in the fall, even if they will not be stockpiled, Bates said. “Applying nitrogen will help increase fall growth, some which can be grazed and some which can be stockpiled.”
The expert tells producers that the nutrient requirements of beef cows are generally low during the fall and early winter and can be met through either feeding medium quality hay or grazing. “If there is the possibility to graze, let the cow do the harvesting rather than having the forage harvested and brought to her.”
Tall fescue is productive over more of the year than almost any other forage. Stockpiling can add an extra month or two onto the amount of time that fescue can be used. Since most farms in Tennessee have tall fescue, it makes sense to utilize tall fescue so that as little hay as possible will have to be fed. One of the best ways to do this is to manage these pastures to maximize fall production, stockpiling excess forage and decreasing hay needs and winter feed costs.
For more information on pasture management go online to the UT Extension publications web site: http://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/ or contact the Cannon County Extension Office at 563-2554.
