There are many grasses and legumes that can be utilized in pastures or hayfields today to improve production. Luke Wilson, market development manager for Barenbrug USA, says different forage species thrive in different climates. He recommends looking into the available options for your own area first when establishing a new pasture or hayfield. Some of the new varieties are better adapted, with more options on what can be planted in your climate and conditions.

“When establishing a pasture, it’s also helpful to use mixes with a blend of at least a couple species. This helps spread the risk — like an insurance policy. Having multiple species in a mix is more likely to be successful,” he says.

When establishing a new pasture, with a potential weed problem, Wilson advises getting grasses established first so it can be sprayed to get rid of the weeds. Trying to establish grass and legumes at the same time means you can’t spray without harming the legumes, he says.

Assessing a pasture to evaluate what might need to be done to improve it should include looking at the overall plant density. “If we see more than 15% bare ground or less than two legume plants per square foot, we need to increase pasture productivity by adding more plants,” says Wilson.

Seeding clovers

One of the easiest ways, and sometimes the most economical way, depending on the climate, to improve a pasture is frost-seeding legumes. Frost-seeding doesn’t take many pounds of seed for clovers [about 1 to 2 pounds (lb.) for white clovers and 4 to 5 lb. for red]. The seed can be broadcast in winter right before the spring thaw, he explains.

Clover seed’s weight (which is heavier than grass seed) enables it to work its way into the ground during the honeycombing effect when the ground thaws.

“This provides the necessary seed-to-soil contact,” says Wilson. “I don’t recommend this with grasses because grass seed isn’t heavy enough to achieve seed-to-soil contact; grass seed is more likely to blow away or be eaten by birds.”

Seeding grasses

“If you want to increase grass content of a pasture, you probably need a drill to ensure proper seed-to-soil contact. When you interseed grass into an existing stand, you should lightly graze it or put up one cutting of hay. Otherwise, the established grasses that are already there will get ahead of the new seedlings and canopy over them.” New grasses don’t do well in the shade; they need sunlight.

You don’t want to over-protect it by not grazing or harvesting. Wilson cautions, when seeding a new hayfield using a nurse crop, get the nurse crop off quickly, so it won’t shade out the new seeding.

“If you can leave a good stubble height, you will get much more production because it regrows more quickly. If you overgraze, you are hurting the next cutting or the next graze rotation.” — Luke Wilson

Proper management is just as important as the plant mix and stand density. “Overgrazing is one of the hardest things on a pasture. If you can leave a good stubble height, you will get much more production because it regrows more quickly. If you overgraze, you are hurting the next cutting or the next graze rotation,” Wilson says. “Depending on your region, you could boost production by establishing a warm-season grass to help give you a more consistent growth curve throughout the year.”

Whatever you seed to improve forage production on your place, take time to research the improved varieties.

“Just as genetics are important to your livestock herd, they are equally important to your pastures and hayfields that help produce the end product,” concludes Wilson.

Editor’s note: Heather Smith Thomas is a freelance writer and cattlewoman from Salmon, Idaho. [Lead photo by Linda Geist.]

Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, Vol. 16, No. 10-B