Agriculture and Natural Resources

Curt Judy - cjudy@uky.edu
County Extension Agent
for Agriculture and Natural Resources     

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    Summer Grasses Can Stretch Forage Supplies

Summer Grasses

In 2007, farmers across Kentucky and the southeastern United States saw pastures and hay fields dry up from lack of moisture.  As a result, livestock farmers may want to consider using some summer annual grasses this year, especially in fields that weren't renovated because of poor planting conditions last fall and this spring.

These grasses -- teff, sundangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrid and pearl millet, can play an important role for supplemental pasture and hay needs.  If managed property, these grasses can provide high yields of good quality forage in a short amount of time.

According to Dr. Garry Lacefield, University of Kentucky forage specialist, summer grasses can be planted from May until the end of July in Kentucky.  Planting late, however, will reduce the number of harvests and total yields.  The grasses produce most of their growth from May to September.  Cool season grasses, on the other hand, have their main growth spurts in the spring and fall.

Growing a combination of the grasses in different fields can improve the seasonal distribution of forages.

if it is being used for grazing, Lacefield says that summer annual plants need to be at least 18 inches tall.  Enough animals need to be placed in the field to graze the grass down within a week at most and then moved to another area.  After grazing, it should be mowed to a height of six to eight inches.  It may take six to eight weeks before it is ready for grazing again.  Grazing can continue until frost. 

In addition to grazing, these crops can be harvested as silage, haylage, or hay.  For best yield and quality, summer grasses must be harvested at the proper stage of growth.  Silage or hay harvest needs to be made when plants are in the boot stage.

The disadvantage of annual summer grasses is that they have to be reestablished every year, which makes them less economical than cool season grasses.   Animal disorders, such as nitrate poisoning and prussic acid poisoning, can be a factor with some of these grasses.

Producers interested in trying warm season grasses need to select species and varieties that fit their soil type and management and provide the desired product.

Producers should become familiar with what is necessary to establish and maintain a stand.  More information on summer annual grasses and forage related disorders are available in publications AGR-99: Producing  Summer Annual Grasses for Emergency or Supplemental Forage and ASC-57: Forage-Related Cattle Disorders.  These and other forage publications and information are available at the Todd County Extension Service.