If you could meet your herd's warm-season forage needs at one-third the cost of bermuda or fescue, would you do it?
Kees Vandermeer did. And he did it by making warm-season native grasses a prominent part of his stocker grazing operation.
The way this Aurora, Mo., cattleman figured it, two-thirds of his aacreage should be in cool-season forages and one-third in warm-season grasses. Bromegrass and legumes would meet his cool-season grazing needs, but when it came to the warmer months he opted for native warm-season grasses.
Today's high nitrogen costs are pushing many producers in the same direction It's a move Vandermeer says he's glad he made in the 1990s.
"At the time I had a choice of using bermudagrass or a variety of native grasses," Vandermeer says. "I chose the natives because they don't require as much nitrogen fertilizer, they're very hardy if managed correctly, and this category includes species that mature at various stages during the warm season."
The cattleman primarily uses eastern gamagrass and big bluestem. He has switchgrass on some wet sites, and small areas of volunteer indiangrass persist in a few pastures. He also uses Caucasian bluestem, which is not native to North America. Its origin is Georgia, a former republic of the Soviet Union.
Native warm-season grasses are gaining a following for three good reasons: They're a useful livestock forage with substantially lower fertilizer requirements than bermudagrass; they greatly enhance wildlife habitat; and they have soil and water conservation benefits.
On the conservation side, these grasses get high marks because they are deep-rooted. Some species reach heights of 6 to 8 feet, and it's not unusual for root systems to equal that. This means the grasses accumulate a hefty reserve of below-ground biomass, and they are relatively drought-tolerant.
Native warm-season grasses are also adapted to a wide range of soil types, and because they require less fertilization and maintenance they get a plus in the economic column.
For wildlife, especially bobwhite quail, cottontail rabbits and songbirds, these grasses provide excellent habitat. They're tall-growing, erect bunchgrasses that stand well during the winter. Legumes often grow well in openings between clumps of native warm-season grass species too.
Today's growing interest in native warm-season grasses is sort of a "born-again" scenario. These grasses occupied large areas of the Midwest, East and South up to about 150 years ago.
They thrived naturally and responded favorably They thrived naturally and responded favorably to annual burning caused by lightning and native Americans. The grasses began disappearing as land was converted to intensive agricultural uses.
One indication of today's interest in native warm-season grasses is the new Center for Native Grasslands Management at the University of Tennessee. "This is the only center of its type east of the Great Plains," says Patrick Keyser, center coordinator.
The center researches issues related to the establishment and management of native grasslands, and disseminates information resulting from that work.
Although the center was only established in 2006, studies are already under way concerning optimum timing for burning, best hay-cutting height, and incorporating legumes and winter annuals into native grass stands.
"We work with Extension and other partner organizations, such as NRCS, to share information resulting from our research," Keyser says. Information is also conveyed via a web page (www.nativegrasses.utk.edu), workshops and publications.
Keyser believes native grasses represent one of the greatest untapped potentials in U. S. agriculture. "While it's too early to know where cellulosic ethanol markets are headed, these grasses could make an excellent dual-purpose, low-input and wildlife-friendly crop," he says.
Although yields vary with soil type, rainfall and other factors, it's not uncommon for native warm-season grasses to produce 2 to 5 tons of forage per acre. Crude protein customarily ranges from 8 to 12%, but can be as high as 16 or 17%, depending on plant maturity.
Overgrazing is one of the greatest mistakes producers can make when using these grasses as part of a grazing program. Vandermeer avoids that by dividing his grassland farm into 10-acre paddocks so he can practice intensive grazing management.
Experts generally agree native warm-season grasses should be grazed no closer than 4 to 5 inches. Vandermeer is even more conservative. "I typically begin grazing eastern gamagrass when it's about 18 inches tall, and I graze it down to 8 inches. Then I rotate my cattle to another paddock," he says.
It's a system that's worked for him for quite a while now. Vandermeer has native warm-season grass pastures that are 15 years old. "Once you get a good stand and manage it properly, it will last for years."
(More on next page.)
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Keys to Success
Remove the competition. Native grasses do not compete well with tall fescue, bermudagrass and other introduced grasses. Controlling these species with herbicides before seeding is essential for successful stands. Applying a preemergence herbicide at planting gives additional protection.
Plant it right. Seed should be planted no deeper than 1/4 inch—usually from mid-April through early June. Seed may be drilled or top-sown on a prepared seedbed. A cover of dead vegetation can be burned. No preparation may be required if dead material is sparse and only a few inches tall.
Use quality seed. Purity of native warm-season grass seed is usually 50 to 70%, with germination often no more than 50 to 60%. Refer to seed tag to determine seeding rate on the basis of pure live seed, or PLS. Percent purity times percent germination equals PLS.
Manage grazing and haying. If grazed or clipped too close, native warm-season grass stands may not persist, and weeds will encroach. Leave 6 inches of the plant to ensure enough leaf area is available for prompt regrowth. Grazing of big bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass and eastern gamagrass should begin at 18 to 24 inches; haying should occur at about 30 inches.
Plan on burning in the spring. Typical of their survival for centuries on wild prairies, these grasses respond favorably to burning in the spring. Timely burning rejuvenates growth, improves forage quality, and controls weeds and other grasses. Scientists believe burning is most helpful when shoots are just emerging. Burning too early encourages re-invasion of stands by fescue. Herbicides may be used to control broadleaf weeds.
Check soil fertility and pH. Native warm-season grasses do tolerate low fertility and acid soils in the wild. So they can definitely cut that fertilizer bill. But they're more productive with pH at 6.0 to 6.5. The Center for Native Grasslands Management recommends liming only when pH is below 5.0. Phosphate and potash should be at medium to high levels. Apply approximately 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. Avoid high nitrogen levels during the establishment year as that may encourage competitive plants.
Cost comparisons
Just how much cheaper are native warm-season grasses to produce?
In Arkansas some cost comparisions between these grasses and bermudagrass have been made.
Robert Seay a county Extension agent in Benton, says intensively managed bermudagrass (for hay) receives about 300 units of nitrogen per acre per year. Assuming a price of 66 cents per unit for nitrogen, that's $198 per acre for nitrogen alone. But it's probably not fair to compare native warm-season grasses to this level of management.
A more realistic comparison would be what Seay terms "middle-of-the-road bermudagrass management," which includes two hay cuttings (mid-May, mid-June), and then grazing the grass for the remainder of the season. This type of setup, would require about 180 units of nitrogen per acre per year, bringing the cost to $118.80 per acre.
Native warm-season grasses, on the other hand, would only receive about 60 units. At the same price for nitrogen, that's $39.60 per acre per year.
Pat Keyser, coordinator at the Center for Native Grasslands Management at University of Tennessee, puts these comparisons into perspective, with a look at yields.
"The 60 units of nitrogen we recommend on the native warm-season grasses would produce about 5 tons of hay over two cuttings per year.
"The 180 units on bermudagrass probably would produce 4 to 5 tons of hay. The higher rate (300 units) on bermuda would probably produce 6-plus tons."
When looking at costs, don't forget establishment. Site conditions and seed costs can cause this to vary, obviously, but expect to spend about $150 per acre when you include burndowns and planting.
Also factor in this fact: Typically, a native warm-season grass stand is not fully established until it is 3 years old. The first year doesn't yield usable production, but you can expect 50 to 70% maturity the second year.
How Tall?
Here are some popular native warm-season grasses and typical plant heights when not grazed or cut for hay:
Big bluestem - 8 to 9 feet
Little bluestem - 2 to 4 feet
Indiangrass - 4 to 7 feet
Switchgrass (forage varieties) - 3 to 6 feet
Switchgrass (biofuel varieties) - 6 to 10 feet
Sideoats grama - 1 to 3 feet
Eastern gamagrass - 6 to 8 feet
Source: University of Tennessee