Introduction

The livestock industry is an important agricultural enterprise in Louisiana. Forages are the primary feed source for livestock due to the favorable conditions for plant growth and a wide range of adapted forage species available for pasture and hay production. Perennial warm-season grasses, such as bermudagrass and bahiagrass, are the primary species used for summer production, while cool-season annual grasses, such as ryegrass, provide for production during the winter and spring months. It is important to take into consideration that no forage species will grow year-round. This means that having an adequate forage supply throughout the year will require planning and management. This forage management calendar is designed to be a tool for producers to help them in scheduling practices pertaining to forage management throughout the year.

January

• Calculate a financial budget for this coming year’s forage enterprises. Research ideas to reduce costs or increase income from forages.
• Graze winter pastures as needed. Forage growth may be limited due to cold temperatures.
• Allocate hay feeding based on hay quality and animal needs.
• Attend educational meetings that relate to your forage enterprise.
• Make sure that your private pesticide applicator’s
• license is current. Attend a pesticide recertification meeting if needed.
• Perform routine maintenance and repairs on forage planting and harvesting equipment.
• Possibly begin grazing overseeded winter pastures if forage growth is at least 6-8 inches.
• Make applications of preemergent herbicides for summer annual grass weed control in summer grass hayfields.

February

• Graze overseeded winter pastures when forage growth is at least 6-8 inches.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer to promote growth in winter pasture plants.
• Perform routine maintenance and repairs on forage planting and harvesting equipment.
• Prepare for improvement of summer pastures by purchasing seed, fertilizer and herbicides. If you plan on planting a hybrid bermudagrass, secure a source of planting material.
• Continue hay feeding as needed.

March

• Take soil samples from your summer pastures and hayfields and have them sent to a soil testing laboratory for fertilizer and lime recommendations.
• Assess the potential for controlling broadleaf weeds in winter pastures by clipping or herbicide application.
• Continue grazing winter pastures and hay feeding as needed.
• Plan for summer pasture utilization strategies such as grazing system, fencing, water and shade.
• Consider making a nitrogen fertilizer application to winter pasture fields that will be cut later for baleage or hay.

April

• Consider cutting winter forage crops in mid-April for baleage and late in the month for hay.
• Complete a maintenance check and repairs on forage planting and harvesting equipment.
• Develop a hay inventory for the next feeding season, determine the number of acres and budget a 25%-30% surplus to account for extreme weather conditions.
• Begin tillage operations and incorporation of recommended lime and fertilizers for later plantings of summer annual (millets and sorghums) or perennial (bahiagrass or bermudagrass) grasses.
• Continue grazing winter pastures.
• Continue clipping or herbicide application for broadleaf weed control in winter pastures.
• Repair fences and inspect water systems in preparation for grazing summer pastures.

May

• Finish harvesting winter annual forage crops in early May.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer and recommended amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to summer pastures and hayfields.
• Plant summer annual (millets and sorghums) or perennial (bahiagrass or bermudagrass) grasses into tillage-prepared seedbeds.
• Begin grazing summer perennial grass pastures when plants have reached a height of 4-6 inches.
• Attend educational meetings and field days that relate to your forage enterprise.
• Possibly take the first cutting of summer grass hayfields.

June

• Continue to take first cutting of summer grass hayfields.
• Start grazing warm-season annual grasses when they have reached heights of 24-36 inches depending on forage species and growth rate.
• Assess the potential for controlling broadleaf weeds in summer pastures by clipping or herbicide application.
• Protect round bales of hay from weather damage to minimize storages losses of yield and quality.

July

• Start grazing summer annual grasses after recovery from the first grazing cycle.
• Continue to harvest hay as needed.
• Rotate summer pastures as needed.
• Fertilize summer hay fields according to yield goal and soil test recommendations.
• Consider making a nitrogen fertilizer application to summer pastures if growth conditions are favorable.
• Clip pastures for weed control if warranted.

August

• Continue to harvest hay as needed.
• Take soil samples from fields where winter forages will be planted.
• Clip summer pastures for weed control if warranted.
• Determine which winter annual grasses (ryegrass, oats, wheat, rye) and clovers will be seeded in the fall, and locate sources of seed for each forage species.

September

• Begin tillage operations and incorporation of recommended lime and fertilizers for plantings of winter annual grasses and clovers. Plan on making the plantings in the middle to the end of the month.
• Take the last cutting of hay.
• Clip summer pastures for weed control if warranted.
• Make plans for broadleaf weed control in winter pastures.
• Make applications of preemergent herbicides for winter annual grass control in summer grass hayfields.
• For summer pastures that will be overseeded with winter annual grasses or clovers, intensively graze or clip the summer sod as short as possible. Also, if a lime application is needed for the overseeded crop, it can be applied now.
• Take an inventory of hay supplies on hand and estimate hay needs for the winter feeding period. If additional hay needs to be purchased, locate sources of good quality hay.

October

• Continue the late-fall final hay harvest if needed.
• Overseed winter annual grasses and clovers into summer grass sod in mid-October. Apply any recommended amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and possibly about 20-40 pounds per acre of nitrogen at planting.
• Beware of prussic acid (cyanide) poisoning from grazing sorghum-sudangrass hybrids or johnsongrass following a hard freeze. Remove the livestock for seven to days after the freeze.
• Attend educational meetings and field days that relate to your forage enterprise.

November

• Take samples from harvested hay and send them to a forage testing laboratory to determine nutrient content and potential feeding value. These test results can help you develop a supplementation program to provide the proper protein and energy requirements for your livestock.
• Possibly begin grazing of winter pastures planted on prepared seedbeds if the forage growth is at least
• 6-8 inches.
• When feeding hay, use hay rings or feeders and locate hay feeding areas in well-drained areas to minimize hay waste. Hay bales can also be unrolled. Make sure that you only feed as much hay as the cattle will consume in one day. Larger amounts of hay fed every two to four days will lead to more hay waste.
• Continue to locate sources of good quality hay if needed.

December

• Possibly begin grazing of winter pastures planted on prepared seedbeds if the forage growth is at least 6-8 inches.
• Continue feeding hay and supplements as needed.
• Calculate costs and returns associated with this past year’s forage management program.
• Attend educational meetings and field days that relate to your forage enterprise.
• Begin reviewing university and industry data regarding which species and varieties to plant on your farm next year.
• For control of buttercup in winter pastures, consider making an application of 1-1.5 pints per acre of 2,4-D when the temperature is above 60 F.

Conclusion

The two biggest challenges in assembling a balanced forage system are maintaining supplies of quality forage in late-spring to early-summer and extending the grazing season as long as possible into late-fall and early-winter. Forages should be matched to soils that will maximize their yield and growth potential. It is also important to incorporate economic practices into the calendar to have integration of inputs and expected outputs. Once a strategic plan has been developed, it is important to balance resources (time, management and money) into making changes to the development and implementation of a better forage system. The forage management practices outlined in each month of this calendar can be used by producers to sustain or enhance the overall productivity and efficiency of their livestock operation.