What's a Farmer to do? Pasture is gone & no hay

Some beautiful spring days in March started our grasses growing and farmers were expecting a normal growing season. But on April 7 & 8th we had a devastating freeze that severely stunted our pasture and hay grasses. This was followed by a period of no measurable precipitation and livestock producers are now in a crisis situation. Grass that was stressed is now dying and our farmers are faced with issue to sell the livestock they own or feed hay (that they do not have) through the summer.

Planting summer and winter annuals could be a win/win for the farmer this year. Dairy farmers have used annuals for years and have proved them a successful option. Basically there are different species of grasses that grow at different times of the year and under various conditions. The farmer can use this to his advantage. A warm season annual such as Sorghum- Sudan hybrid can offer a solution to producing forages when drought emergencies occur. Sorghum-Sudan thrives in hot dry conditions. It is very tolerant to heat and low moisture conditions and is high-yielding forage. It may be something worth considering especially this year. It can be seeded direct into pastures with a no-till drill at a rate of 25 pounds of seed per acre. It could be 12 inches high within 28 days and be ready for grazing with good growing conditions. Every operation is different but it is recommended not to exceed 5% of total pasture in Sorghum-Sudan. It is a very fast growing plant and recovery time is usually around 21-28 days.

Sorghum-Sudan does have some issues that need to be considered. It should not be over fertilized with nitrogen as it can store high levels of nitrates in its leaves. High levels of nitrate can be fatal to cattle. To avoid this, fertilize at recommended rates based on soil test results. Prolonged drought conditions followed by rain can allow the plant to uptake large amounts of nitrogen. If you suspect high levels of nitrates or are concerned about this, forages can be tested prior to grazing.

A second issue with Sorghum-Sudan is Prussic acid which comes after a late fall or early winter frost. Animals should not be allowed to graze Sorghum-Sudan following a heavy frost. Sorghum-Sudan is not recommended for horses.

A third issue is Sorghum-Sudan may not be suitable for conventional hay due to the time it takes to dry the hay. It also in some circumstances could store nitrates which will be deadly to livestock. Cutting for silage or haylage can prevent this problem. When stored in a silo or plastic wrapped bales, nitrates will be reduced by 50%. Forage samples should be taken of any haylage/silage before feeding to ensure proper nitrate levels.

Rotational grazing Sorghum-Sudan can be effective and is suggested for producers. This level of rotational grazing depends upon the intensity the farmer is willing to commit. Some may be willing to fence small paddocks and force the animals to devour all of that paddocks forage before moving them to an adjacent paddock. Others may plant areas and move the animals on a less frequent schedule. Availability to water is also crucial to the success of using a summer annual.

There are several resource agencies available to provide technical assistance on planting annuals for forage production. Please feel free to give one of the following agencies a call we are here to provide these services to you: Natural Resource Conservation Service, Cherokee County Soil and Water Conservation District (828) 837-6417 ext 3, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service 837-2210, North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition a local non profit recently purchased a no-till grain drill it can be rented at very low cost by farmers. The Hiwassee River Watershed Coalitionís number is 837- 5414.

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