MORROW SWCD ANNUAL REPORT
EIGHT The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, March 2, 1978
Less than normal grass production
expected for coming season
How's your grass produc
tion going to be now that we
have received a lot of mois
ture this fall and winter?
The grass should definitely
grow better this season than
last, but are you out of the
woods yet?
No! You will probably have
less grass production than
normal this coming season.
Consider how grass grows.
Water, minerals, carbon diox
ide and sunlight must be
present for the leaves to
produce plant food. This food
is stored in the roots and used
for growth of new roots and
leaves. After the growing
season is over, the plant food
still remaining in the roots is
used to start growth the
following spring.
During dry years such as
last season, not only is plant
food production reduced due
to lack of water, but a larger
number of roots than normal
die off reducing the food
storage potential for the next
reason. These root systems
must be built back before
normal grass production can
be expected.
Management, both past and
present, will play a very
important role in overall grass
production for 1978. Speaking
in terms of past management,
the rancher who has year in
and year out maintained good
range condition by modera
tion in grazing intensity, will
have more vigorous grass to
rely on. His grass will have
weathered the drought with
the least effect and will show
the least reduction in growth N
this coming season.
On the other hand, the
rancher who has taken his
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grass down close every year,
will be facing substantially
reduced production. His high
ly stressed grass will need to
rebuild roots and will have to
start growth with less stored
food.
Management, both past and present,
will play a very important role in
No matter what your past
management has been you
can still increase forage
production by managing your
grass correctly this year.
Giving plants maximum
growth opportunities should
allow a faster rate of re
covery. Introduced plants, like
crested wheatgrass, can with
stand more use than most
native grasses. An alternative
then would be using your seed
ed pastures first and letting
the native grass put on some
early growth to help rebuild
their root systems. Consider,
as another alternative, feed
ing for a little longer this
spring. With reduced grass
production you could easily be
faced with the choice of
feeding longer this spring or
starting to feed earlier next
fall. Your native grass would
benefit most by delaying
grazing this spring, and over
the long run produce more
forage which means more
dollars in your pocket.
Ranchers should consider
another aspect of manage
ment when planning for this
grazing season. For those who
reduced herd size last year
due to the lack of grass
production, remember not to
rebuild the herd too fast. Be
certain range can safely
support the livestock in
creases made.
overall grass
production in
1978
WESTERN FARi SERVICE
See us FIRSL.for fall fertilizing
CUSTOM SPREADING & SPRAYING
NH3- .Aqua -Dry Fertilizer
Ag Chemicals Seed
Animal Health Products -4
FBRrT) SERVICE Dennis Reisch -
Ions 422-7531 Boardman 481-2921 Heppner
1978 season may be more
important than many grazers
realize. To allow recovery the
fastest, the safest way is to
graze over an area fairly
rapidly and lightly and return
later in the season if neces
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TERn Ken Smith - Sales & Service
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Bill Wondra - Fieldman
sary. By planning now you can
enhance the recovery process.
. (T.E. Bedell
The Grazier, No. 192)
Branch Manager
676-9103 Lexington 989-8525