STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

Duane A. Lienemann
UNL Extension Educator

     As I write this column, we just experienced lightning and a sound that is music to most Nebraskan’s ears – the rumbling of thunder. I cannot remember the last time I have heard that sweet music. We, of course, need as much moisture as we can get, since we are so far behind in precipitation. It is, unfortunately, unlikely that we will get enough moisture to guarantee anywhere close to normal grazing, and I have outlined that in earlier editions. Now it is concerning to all farmers, including those that just concentrate on grain production. Even the irrigators are a little concerned about the after-effects of the 2012 drought and the potential for an even worse drought for 2013. Imagine how the livestock producers are feeling. They have done whatever they can do to stretch their resources, even downsizing their herds and trying to find any source of hay or other forages as they can.  In talking to many cattlemen I know that finding or providing grazing alternatives is a high priority for them. Let’s look this week at some ideas that our livestock producers can do to perhaps offset these trials.
     One option is using Spring-planted oats. If you are interested in having some extra pasture and hay this spring, this may be a viable option. The nice thing is that there is still time to plant oats, and they might be one of the surest ways to provide feed for your cattle if you are going to be short of hay and have to wait for pastures to get to the point that they can be grazed without hurting future production. Oats grow during cool spring weather when rain is most likely to occur and when soil moisture is used most efficiently to produce forage. Oats make an excellent source of forage for several reasons. First, oats can be grazed earlier than anything else you plant this spring and are often ready for grazing about a month after planting and can be intensely grazed. Another advantage of oats for spring pasture is the low cost of seed. 
     Also, oats can be used in several different ways. If the forage isn't needed for grazing, it can be made into hay. Oat hay makes ideal feed for young livestock if it is harvested when the plants just begin to head out, and is excellent feed for stock cows. And if rainfall is adequate and pasture isn't needed in the spring, oats can still be harvested for grain and straw. If you have irrigation capabilities, oats that are planted under irrigation can be grazed or cut for hay early enough to permit double cropping to soybeans or a summer annual forage crop. Or under this situation they may even be double cropped to corn for silage. I know this is not usually an option if you are primarily a crop producer, but if you also have livestock it is a great way to accomplish two production goals. The early moisture may be all we get and oats may at least give a chance for feed.
     If you decide to go the oats route, you may want to plant about 3 bushels per acre during the first couple of weeks in April since the weather didn’t allow this last week or two. Oats respond favorably to early planting. Research has shown that oat seeds germinate at 40°F. The oats should be from 4 to 8 inches tall and ready to graze in early to mid-May. With good soil moisture and 30 to 60 pounds of nitrogen, oats can provide a couple months of grazing for 1 or 2 cows per acre. If what you need is hay that’s ideal for young stock, then cutting oats just as it is heading out is the best option. This hay can have over 10 percent protein and 65 percent TDN as well as good palatability. Or you can increase yield by about one-third, and cut oats in the milk stage for hay with 8 percent protein and 55 percent TDN - an excellent feed for stock cows. You can use bin run oats or look for forage oats like “Everleaf 126” which may be a good option, as they are adapted for lower moisture areas, are considered heat tolerant, and hay cut at or before mid-boot can reach up to 19% protein. Not too bad!
     Another thought is that oats also have the potential to stimulate yields from a thin, worn out alfalfa stand. If you discover that you suffered drought injury to your alfalfa and have thin stands, you won’t reach your yield potential or much of it might be in the form of weeds. To improve the yield and quality and provide competition for weeds, just drill a bushel of oats per acre directly into you alfalfa as soon as possible. Then cut your hay like normal and you should have more tonnage. 
     I have also heard some farmers discussing mixing oats with turnips hoping to increase protein quality and tonnage for intensified grazing of cattle in those planted areas. Continuous grazing works well because cattle prefer oats until they start to head. That gives turnips a good chance to get started. You can start grazing about one-half animal/acre and increase the stocking rate as forage growth rate increases. On dryland you may get up to one cow-calf pair/acre; if irrigated, two or more pairs/acre are likely. Oats and turnips can provide 2 lbs or more of gain/acre/day. Nutritionally, oats are almost as good as wheat and what is nice is that they don't have awns, so they're actually more grazing-friendly to cattle. The benefits of turnips are that their leaves are 24-25% protein and the bulbs are 16-18% protein, with about the same energy as corn.
     According to Dr. Anderson, oats and turnips can be planted at the same time using a grain drill with a second, small seed box for turnip seed.  You will need to pull the seed tubes from the turnip seed box and allow seed to drop freely on the soil surface ahead of the coulters. You should plant the oats 1-3" deep in the furrows made by the coulters. Packer wheels or a roller pulled behind the drill work very well. He goes on to say that if they need to be planted separately, you can broadcast turnip seed first and then drill in the oats. Drilling will help give the turnip seed light soil coverage. The other way around works, too, but the turnip seed won't get packed unless a third trip is used. In this case you may want to use 90-120 lbs of oats and 2 lbs of turnip seed/acre (Purple Top White Globe is a good pick). Seed costs shouldn't exceed $20-30 per acre. This option could provide a full 8-9 months of grazing if handled properly. We may have to look at all options this year!

The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: http://www.webster.unl.edu/home.