Fall is a busy time for cattle producers, so now would be a good time to begin planning for things that will be taking place in the upcoming weeks.
Plan now for fall and winter grazing by identifying pastures to apply nitrogen for fall growth of tall fescue. Apply 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen in mid-August to stimulate growth. Also plan on taking those acres out of grazing rotations to allow the new forage growth to accumulate. Delay grazing until December or January, if possible, to allow some of the endophyte toxins to decrease in the newly grown forage. Strip graze to get the best utilization of the accumulated forage.
Evaluate and monitor existing pastures for forage availability. Keep a close eye on the body condition of the cow herd. Plan weaning accordingly. If forage is short and body condition is slipping, schedule weaning activities early enough to prevent cows from losing too much condition. The easiest way to get cows to add body condition is to not have them lose it in the first place. This can have significant impacts on winter feeding programs and overwintering costs for the cow herd.
Be sure to include feeding some creep feed to calves ahead of weaning so when weaning time comes they are familiar with grain mixes and can make that transition much easier. Make sure to have vaccination plans in place for initial and booster vaccinations and other health related management. Be sure syringes and other health equipment are in working condition and delivering the correct dosage.
Take a walk through the pens and working facilities. Replace broken posts, bent panels and gates and make other facility repairs. Inspect winter feeding alleys and feed storage areas. Fill potholes, haul gravel, etc. to make life easier this coming winter.
Finally, September is a good time to collect hay and silage samples. This allows cost-effective supplementation programs to be developed for each of the different groups of cattle on the farm. This will be particularly important this year since much of the hay crop was harvested in a rather advanced stage of maturity.
If you have additional questions on any of these topics, contact me at schmitze@missouri.edu or call the Pettis County Extension Center at 660-827-0591.
