PiRe 8 Special Farm Section. Thursday. February 24. ISM
Rangeland seeding
increases production
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Rangeland seeding is currently
being done in Morrow County on
burned areas and abandoned
cropland with a rangeland drill
on loan from the Forest Service.
Sites are being selected where a
less than adequate cover of
perennial bunchgrass exists and
annuals make up most of the
ground cover. The Morrow Soil
and Water Conservation District
is charging a $2 per acre rental
fee for the drill
A management plan is devel
oped in cooperation with the land
owner for implementing sound
management practices for the
unit that is to be seeded. Proper
rest following seeding allowing
the grass stand to become estab
lished, proper turn in time on the
seeding and proper grazing
heights are the primary items of
the management plan.
Several adapted grasses are
available for seeding. Some of the
new grasses are Secar bluebunch
wheatgrass. Russian wild rye
and a drought resistant orchard
grass named piute. which can
grow down to ten inches of annual
rainfall. Also available are
Sherman big bluegrass. interme
diate wheatgrass, Siberian
wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass
and pubescent wheatgrass.
Russian wild rye is an excellent
forage for sheep and cattle. With
the new cultivar, "Swift" the
seedling vigor has been im
proved. Protein content of the
leaves throughout the grazing
Printing
Estimates
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'Wheat stubble grazing' may not
be an advantage
season is unsurpassed by any
other grass and is taken ahead of
any other grass from spring
through fall.
A new hybrid grass still in the
experimental stage, is a cross
between quackgrass and blue
bunch wheatgrass, a common
perennial bunchgrass in Morrow
County, which appears to have
excellent potential.
"Secar" bluebunch wheatgrass
is available on the market and is
an improved variety of one of the
bunchgrasses that grows com
monly in Morrow County. This
improved variety does not have
the awn (needle) on the top of the
seed which discourages cattle
from grazing during the growth
stage when the grass is producing
seed.
Seventy five percent cost share
is available from A.S.C.S. for
grass seeding.
Livestock growers have tradi
tionally put cattle on wheat stub
ble in the fall after moving cattle
down from summer forest allot
ments for short and long periods
of time, sometimes extending
through the winter. Due to pres
ent economic conditions and a
mild winter up to this point
stubble grazing seems to be the
answer for cheap winter feed.
But, livestock growers want to be
careful when balancing winter
feed bills with proper nutrition
for their breeding herd especially
in the last three months of
pregnancy.
The affects of winter feeding on
cows in their last three months of
pregnancy, and also after calving
has a profound affect on subse
quent reproductive performance.
Inadequate nutrition reduces the
percentage of cows coming into
heat and conceiving early in the
breeding season resulting in low
er weaning weights later on.
requirements. Total digestible
nutrients and specifically diges
tible protein, are usually limited
in rations composed largely of
cereal residues. Also, because of
the low energy value of straw and
chaff, it Is better to supplement
with a complete protein, such as
alfalfa, soybean meal, or cotton
seed meal along with supple
ments for energy, calcium, phos
phorus and trace minerals for
best results.
From a conservation viewpoint
stubble grazing to a certain
extent diminishes protection
against erosion. A minimum of
l.ooo pounds of residue is neces
sary on slopes up to eight per
cent, and more residue is needed
on steeper slopes to reduce runoff
and hold soil in place. Standing
stubble conserves the maximum
amount of soil moisture during
summer fallow. Standing stubble
deflects winds above the soil
surface while the land is fallow
and helps to trap the snow In
winter. Erect stubble also pro
vides shade during summer and
cools the soil surface, conserving
moisture. The influence of graz
ing knocks down stubble exposing
the soil surface to wind and
runoff. Grazing also reduces the
amount of residue on the soil
surface. Compaction caused by
grazing animals' hoof action is
compounded by wet soil condi
tions. A question of priorities arises
when considering whether to
graze or not to graze grain
stubble. If a manager wishes to
maximize production from both
his cropland and livestock opera
tions it would be to his advantage
to manage for the highest pro
duction of both wheat and live
stock without detracting from
either one which would mean not
grazing grain stubble.
Cows should be fed so they gain
about 100 pounds during the last
three to four months of pregnan
cy. This essentially means that
they neither gain nor lose weight,
but use the nutrients for growth
of the developing calf The in
crease in body weight is accoun
ted for by the weight of the calf,
placental membranes and fluids.
After calving, these cows will
weigh about the same as they did
three to four months before calv
ing. Digestibility of straw ii.id chaff
tends to be very low. Protein in
these forages averages only 2.4
percent. This is below beef cattle
requirements and needs supple
menting. Even a dry, pregnant,
mature cow cannot eat enough of
these feeds to meet the daily
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