Pasture and Forage Minute

Pastures and hay meadows provide higher quality feed, are more productive, and require fewer inputs when they have good forage legumes growing in them. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Cheatgrass, sometimes called downy brome, or wild oats, is an annual weedy grass that can be a problem in pastures, particularly in central and western Nebraska. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

With recent rains and cooler weather, cool-season pastures like brome, bluegrass, and fescue could put on some extra growth. That's good news — but it also raises the question: do we graze it now or save it for later? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Late summer is often when annual grasses like foxtail, sandbur, and barnyardgrass become especially noticeable in pastures. They commonly show up where grass stands are thin, animal traffic is heavy, or overgrazing has left open space. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Did you spray thistles this past spring or summer? If so, it may be worth revisiting those areas. New plants or regrowth may have shown up, and late September through early November can be a good time for thistle control in pastures and hayland. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As temperatures cool this fall, don't be too quick to shut irrigation off on alfalfa, especially if the soil profile is dry. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As we move into fall, many producers may be looking at harvesting forage from summer annuals like sorghum-sudan, forage sorghum or millet. While these crops can provide valuable feed, making dry hay this time of year can be challenging. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

There are a couple of leasing options for producers and landowners. Verbal leases are a common form of lease agreement. However, if someone is considering terminating a verbal lease, there are some dates and rules to remember. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Drought can leave dryland corn with little grain potential but still considerable forage value. Before writing those fields off, grazing may be one way to capture some value with livestock. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Silage is a cornerstone feed for livestock across Nebraska. Knowing its value is critical for making sound management decisions, whether budgeting for your own operation or selling to a buyer. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

While dry conditions can result in high nitrates in annuals, drought isn't the only thing that may cause nitrate issues. Grazing forages that have high nitrates can be successful, but how it is done can mean the difference between life or death. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Timing the last fall cutting of alfalfa can be difficult. Producers need to balance the value of another harvest against stand health, winter survival and vigor next spring. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

December 1 may seem like a long way off, but it's just around the corner. Before we know it, it will be time for family to visit, holiday preparations to begin, and producers to make decisions about Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage insurance, commonly called PRF. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Silage harvest for fully irrigated full-season corn usually begins 45 days or 800 GDD's after the tassel / silking growth stage. However, growing conditions and the season length of the plant itself can make predictions based on the calendar fuzzy at best. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

August always seems to be a time when certain weeds become quite noticeable in pastures. That is especially true of areas that have had abundant summer rains and in pastures that have relatively thin grass stands, where animals congregate, or if some overgrazing has occurred. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

If grazing is one of your goals for a fall cover or forage crop, planting date matters. Every week we wait now means less growing season and less fall production. While seeding early is best, some species handle later planting dates better than others. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

High value silage depends on maintaining chop quality throughout harvest. Do you know how to reliably monitor your silage quality? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

In previous years, portions of Nebraska have seen significant numbers of fall armyworm caterpillars feeding on alfalfa, brome regrowth in pastures, and newly seeded small grain crops such as wheat, triticale, and rye. While reports of armyworm damage have not yet been received this year, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for this insect. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Corn silage success rests on proper harvest, packing, and storage practices. When we need a boost, adding an inoculant at harvest can help improve fermentation and storage, but we need to know what products to use to get the best result. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

When mother nature fails to provide rain, knowing forage water use is important for both dryland and irrigated crops. Forages vary greatly in water-use efficiency (the amount of forage produced for each inch of water used), and knowing ahead of time is important. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Do you have a thinning, low-producing alfalfa stand but aren't quite ready for a complete reseeding? These stands can sometimes be rejuvenated by interseeding grasses to increase hay production in subsequent years or convert the field to pasture. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Corn silage harvest may seem like a long way off, but preparation for a successful harvest begins now. Improper silage storage and fermentation can result in losses up to 20% prior to feeding. Plan your storage now to keep excessive storage losses from happening to you. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Common mullein is an invasive biennial weed that can spread rapidly into pastures. Due to recent mild winters, mullein winter survival has been high. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

There is a saying “take half and leave half” with regard to grazing. However, with the weather events this past year, some producers are concerned about long-term overgrazing since this can reduce grass production and profits for years. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Summer rain can turn a smooth brome pasture from brown to green, but it cannot replace spring forage production that was missed. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

When it gets hot, alfalfa plants grow more slowly and moisture stress becomes common, even in moist soil. Maintaining high-quality hay is very difficult due to the high temperatures, especially when the heat does not subside at night.

Yucca, also called small soapweed, is a common weed in western and central Nebraska rangelands. In some areas, high plant density can significantly reduce grass production; so, yucca may need to be managed to reclaim grazing lands. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

As we move through midsummer, it's time to evaluate our forage situation. Depending on your location, meadow hay harvest might be starting, you could be on your second cutting of alfalfa, or preparing to cut warm-season annual crops soon. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Late rains have improved the appearance of native range across parts of Nebraska, but green is not always the same as growth. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

What does it cost to rent pasture this year? The final 2026 Nebraska Cash Rental Rates Survey results are now available. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

With summer annual grasses like sorghum-sudan, pearl millet, and forage sorghum coming into their own, getting good hay put up can be a bit of a challenge — especially when you're dealing with thick stems and drying delays. A few simple steps can go a long way in making sure your hay is both high quality and safe to feed. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Heat stress is often talked about with feedlot cattle, but animals on pasture can be at risk too. All livestock can struggle when high temperatures, humidity, low wind, and warm nights stack together. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Make plans now to attend the 2026 Nebraska Grazing Conference in Kearney on August 4th and 5th. For 26 years, the Nebraska Grazing Conference has served as a forum for advancing the science and practice of grazing management by bringing together producers, researchers, educators, conservation professionals, and industry leaders from across the Great Plains. Mitch Stephenson, Nebraska Extension Range Management Specialist.

Clean water is critical for cattle health, especially during heat events. However, dry conditions can make water quality worse. As water evaporates, salts and minerals become more concentrated. In some locations, this can cause cattle to limit intake, refuse water, or develop health issues. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Summer thunderstorms can quickly turn good hay drying weather into wet windrows. That does not mean the hay is a total loss, but rain on cut forage can reduce both yield and quality. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As we enter a period of hotter and drier weather, grasshoppers will begin to move into crops from field edges. In the coming weeks, be sure to scout your fields to ensure defoliation from grasshopper feeding is kept at a minimum. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, and sudangrass can be valuable emergency forages in dry years, but they carry one major livestock risk: prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide — HCN. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

In Nebraska, there are two species of fly that cause the most economic injury to pasture and rangeland cattle. Selection of an appropriate control method for each will depend on the time of year; the efficacy, cost, and convenience of the treatment; and your herd management practices. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Precipitation and temperature play major roles in pasture productivity, and knowing how to adjust grazing to match current conditions is key. Are you shifting your management to meet pasture conditions? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

In Nebraska, you can't predict the rain, however you can protect your bottom line. If you plant annual forage or cover crops for livestock feed, dry weather doesn't have to mean a total loss. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

July traditionally means the beginning of the haying season for Sandhills subirrigated meadows. A key point related to the quality of meadow hay is harvest date. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Wheat harvest will be coming up soon and that leads us to think about some forage opportunities after harvest is complete. There is plenty of growing season left this year and there are several forage possibilities; especially in a year where pasture or hay is short in some areas. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Summer annuals such as pearl millet, forage sorghum, sorghum-sudans, corn and brown midrib forages can response well to fertilizer applications after their first cutting harvest. However, if moisture is a limiting factor, then fertilizer applications likely should be split and/or significantly reduced. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Irrigation and Cropping Systems Forage Educator.

Have you noticed tall weeds with umbrella-like clusters of white flowers in pastures, ditch banks, and along roadsides? It may be poison hemlock, a plant highly toxic to people and livestock. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Summer annual forages such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids and pearl millet planted this spring soon could be ready to graze. There are some grazing guidelines to help avoid potential hazards. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Summer annual grasses can sneak into alfalfa fields fast by mid-summer—and once they're up, pre-emergent options are off the table. What are the options? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.