Maximizing Fall and Winter Grazing of Beef Cows and Stocker Cattle

Bulletin 872-98

Annual Pastures

Annual forage crops can be used effectively in a forage production system, especially during the summer slump. These crops:

• Provide supplemental feed when perennial forages are less productive.
• Provide emergency feed when perennial crops fail.
• Serve as an interim crop between grazing periods of perennial forage when long rest periods are needed.
• Extend the grazing season in the fall and early spring.
• Are used as smother crops or to break disease cycles when renovating pastures.

Most annual forage crops are best used for pasture and silage rather than hay (Putnam, 1996). Double-cropping combinations are feasible with these annual forage crops (for example, small grains followed by summer annual grasses or brassicas). Brassicas such as turnips and rape can provide high-energy grazing in summer, then regrow for a late-fall or early-winter grazing. Annual crops require the purchasing of seed, fertilizer, tillage, and other associated costs of growing the crop. If the primary goal is to overcome "summer slump" on a continual basis, it may be cheaper to develop a grazing system to make sure you have enough cool-season pasture (Emmick, 1996).