Pasture and Forage Minute

Sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, and sudangrass can be valuable emergency forages in dry years, but they carry one major livestock risk: prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide — HCN. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

In Nebraska, there are two species of fly that cause the most economic injury to pasture and rangeland cattle. Selection of an appropriate control method for each will depend on the time of year; the efficacy, cost, and convenience of the treatment; and your herd management practices. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Precipitation and temperature play major roles in pasture productivity, and knowing how to adjust grazing to match current conditions is key. Are you shifting your management to meet pasture conditions? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

In Nebraska, you can't predict the rain, however you can protect your bottom line. If you plant annual forage or cover crops for livestock feed, dry weather doesn't have to mean a total loss. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

July traditionally means the beginning of the haying season for Sandhills subirrigated meadows. A key point related to the quality of meadow hay is harvest date. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Wheat harvest will be coming up soon and that leads us to think about some forage opportunities after harvest is complete. There is plenty of growing season left this year and there are several forage possibilities; especially in a year where pasture or hay is short in some areas. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Summer annuals such as pearl millet, forage sorghum, sorghum-sudans, corn and brown midrib forages can response well to fertilizer applications after their first cutting harvest. However, if moisture is a limiting factor, then fertilizer applications likely should be split and/or significantly reduced. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Irrigation and Cropping Systems Forage Educator.

Have you noticed tall weeds with umbrella-like clusters of white flowers in pastures, ditch banks, and along roadsides? It may be poison hemlock, a plant highly toxic to people and livestock. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Summer annual forages such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids and pearl millet planted this spring soon could be ready to graze. There are some grazing guidelines to help avoid potential hazards. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Summer annual grasses can sneak into alfalfa fields fast by mid-summer—and once they’re up, pre-emergent options are off the table. What are the options? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Is your pasture paying its way? This is a question I have heard lately with regards to changing input costs. Before your cattle hit the field, here's a quick way to check if your pasture covers its costs. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Rained-on hay plagues all of us eventually. The 'windrow disease' that often follows presents lingering problems. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Since the first cutting of alfalfa has been completed in much of the state, Nebraska producers may be tempted to believe our troubles with alfalfa weevil are over. Unfortunately, this may not be the case. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

What does it cost to rent pasture this year? 2026 results are out for Nebraska cash rental rates. According to the latest survey, average monthly rates for grazing pasture have increased between two and eight percent compared to the previous grazing season. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Yucca plants, which are also called soapweed, can be quite common on rangeland in western and central Nebraska. They are especially noticeable here in June when flowering. In some areas, they can be quite thick and significantly reduce grass production. There are ways, though, to reclaim those grazinglands.

While poisonous plants are generally not as problematic in Nebraska compared to other western states, they can exact their toll on livestock enterprises, and many times the losses are unrecognized. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Forages vary greatly in water-use efficiency defined as pounds of forage produced per inch of water applied. In general, warm-season (C-4) forage crops are more water-use efficient than cool-season (C-3) crops. Although legumes, like alfalfa, are very drought tolerant, they tend to be less water efficient than grasses. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Irrigation and Cropping Systems Forage Educator.

With drought conditions forecasted across much of Nebraska this summer, now is the time to make a grazing plan that builds in flexibility. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Alfalfa is resilient to harsh weather and a drought-tolerant perennial crop with rooting depths down eight feet or more. Depending on deep soil profile moisture during drought, some varieties can move into a dormancy and survive up to 45 days without rainfall. However, forage yields drop dramatically; since alfalfa requires about 4 to 6 inches of root available water to produce 1 ton of forage per...

Dry conditions have left some dryland alfalfa fields short, stressed, and slow to grow. When plants are only six to twelve inches tall, turning purple, yellow, or gray, and starting to bloom, the question becomes: should we cut it, graze it, or leave it alone? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As late spring and summer temperatures begin to heat up and cattle are on pasture, it’s important to make sure there is adequate water for livestock. How much do cattle need and where should it come from? Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Alfalfa weevil is flaring up in some Nebraska fields—here’s what the damage looks like, how to scout before and after first cutting, and when it may pay to cut early or treat. Samantha Daniels, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

As pastures begin to green up, now is the time to scout pastures for two persistent problems—leafy spurge and nonnative thistles like musk, plumeless, and Canada thistle. Both are Nebraska noxious weeds, and early spring is the best opportunity for control. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Smooth bromegrass and other cool-season grass hay fields are growing rapidly with seedheads beginning to appear. When do you typically cut your grass hay?  Ideally, cutting your grass hay so the grass nutrient content matches with the nutritional needs of your livestock is best. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

As we work our way through spring, many small grains are maturing fast and nearing harvest windows. Are you ready to make the most out of these forage options? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.