Stockpiling Fescue For Winter Grazing

DR. ANTHONY OHMES 

JACKSON, MISSOURI

The first step is inventorying available winter feed and determining number of paddocks to designate for stockpiling. Fescues waxy leaf makes it the only choice for stockpiling. Pure stands of fescue work better than stands with heavy clover mix. The grass will be high in protein and total digestible nutrients for the herd ration. 

Heavily graze, cut for hay or mow fescue down to 3 inches around first two weeks of August in selected areas for stockpiling. An acre of 90-day stockpiled fescue can produce an average of 1,500 to 3,000 lbs of dry matter. This will vary with fall soil moisture and stand quality. In pure, healthy stands of fescue in good soil where production can be maximized, up to 60 to 80 units of N can be applied. 

Nitrogen products to consider are urea + urease inhibitor (NBPT), ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate. Ideally an application should be planned around a rain event, especially for urea-based fertilizers to reduce volatility losses. A word of caution, applying high rates of nitrogen to KY-31 fescue can increase ergovaline toxicity levels. Novel fescues, which do not have the toxic endophyte, are not a concern with nitrogen rates. 

Keep livestock and equipment off selected fields until after first hard frost, around mid-November. Strip graze cattle to increase utilization by prevent them from trampling or laying on forage. Base grazing area on animal units of dry matter needed for one day. 

Calculations:
A.U. = (# Cow/calf pairs x lbs. per pair) / 1000
Pounds Dry Matter (D.M.)/Day = A.U. x Forage Intake
Forage Intake (% of Body Wt.) based on class: Dry Cow = 2%; Lactating Cow = 2.2-2.6%; Yearlings = 2.5-3.2% # Animals = Total lbs Forage/A x % Grazing Eff. x Paddock Acres 

Ave. Animal Wt. x Forage Intake % x Grazing Days   ∆

DR. ANTHONY OHMES: University of Missouri