Brian C. Pugh Area Agronomist OSU Extension Flood Recovery Brian C. Pugh Area Agronomist OSU Extension

Ways to Restore Existing Stands? Time! 1. Most perennial grasses will recover Many variables dictate how fast and complete recovery is 2. Floods leave a striation effect Variability in damage Variability in recovery 3. Full scale replanting is rare Deep sedimentation Level and replant Scouring Add organic Matter

Overgrazed or Stressed Stand Loss Factors Minimal Moderate High Flood Timing Dormant Reproductive Vegetative Water Temp Below 50° 50-75° Above 75° Water Speed Stagnant Backwater Current Sedimentation 0-1” 2” Above 3” Submersion Crown Most Leaves Entire Plant Duration PWS Grass (except Indiangrass) AWS Grass PCS Grass, PLeg ACS Grass Ann. Legumes Prior Stand Health Healthy Average Overgrazed or Stressed Soil Type Sandy Silt Loam Clay Water Table Depth Deep Shallow

Ways to Restore Existing Stands? Must rebuild carbohydrate reserves in existing root systems! Restore “foliar energy factories” Maintain Leaf Area! 1. Reduce grazing pressure Proper stocking rates! Limit grazing – rotational? Observe critical residue height 2. Increase plant health & potential growth Timely fertility (Introduced) Prescribed Fire (Native) 3. Control competition by undesired species Timely herbicide (Introduced)

Harvest Deferment for Recovery of Weak Forage Stands Don’t graze too early! Allow at least 3 to 4 weeks of uninterrupted growth. Maintain a critical stubble height at all times! Bermudagrass – no less than 2 inches Fescue – 4-6” Native – 6” minimum!

Weeds Will Likely Be A Problem! Before popping up the graph talk them through the pics, they’re awesome! Take home: Just spraying D kills the weeds but only replaces grass at a pound for pound ratio. Just fertilizing increases total production, but only in the forb component. Using D and fert (N, P, K), however, produces 5 times the amount of grass as the check. This site was not limed but does show the importance of P&K as well. Weeds Will Likely Be A Problem!

When do we take action? How much is too much?

Step 1 in Weed Control Provide fertility practices that promote grass production If bermuda, apply fertilizer after 1st of May to minimize cool season uptake (fescue, annual grasses, dock, winter annuals) Bermuda can’t grow rapidly until this time period, so just wait! Healthy grass = timid weeds

Step 2 in Weed Control Provide grazing strategies that reduce bare ground This may be difficult or impossible if intensive grazing Don’t graze paddocks as short

Step 3 in Weed Control Herbicides Not a band-aid! Complete step 1 & 2 before considering #3 Are very selective at controlling weeds throughout the year. Generally offer good control of weeds

Timing of Application Most herbicide failures are due to improper timing of application! Control is easier on younger growth PRE needs a rain to enter the plant Perennial plants tend to show the most root kill at the reproductive growth stage Herbicides work better on actively growing weeds (after recent rains) Can be washed off by rainfall (12 hour min.) Might need surfactant to “stick” to leaf One herbicide does not fit every situation!!

Timing! May 3, 1.5 pts/A 2,4-D June 17, 1.5 pts/A 2,4-D Aug 19th Pic Bitter Sneezeweed

Common Pasture Weeds Ragweed, Sneezeweed, Cocklebur, Croton 2,4-D is adequate if sprayed at less than 6” height! (1.5 pint/Acre) Need stouter product after 6” GrazonNext (1.5 pints/A) #9 Cimmaron Max (Rate 1) #7

MLRDF – Valliant, OK

Effects of 2015 Flood, 4 years Later

Stockpiled Bermudagrass (Nov-Dec)

Forage Growth, Rainfall, and Fertilizer Timing cool season grass

OSU Rules of Thumb - Fertility It takes 50 lbs actual N to make 1 additional ton of warm season grass It takes 60 lbs actual N to make 1 additional ton of cool season grass For E. OK, 1 acre will produce 1 ton of forage per year without fertility!

How do I stockpile Bermuda for fall and winter grazing? Bermuda grass Remove existing forage by late August Graze, hay, or mow Apply 50 to 75 lbs of N Grazing usually begins after frost when growth is complete Rate of forage weathering dictates when cows should be supplemented Expect about 1 ton of forage per acre 1.5 acre = 60 grazing days for 1 animal

Stockpiled Bermudagrass (Nov-Dec)

Stockpiled Bermudagrass 2018-2019 1 Day Strip 5 Day Strip Continuous Valliant Perkins # Head 248 42 Acres 131 17 12.3 Crude Protein 12.7 12.9 11.9 Energy (TDN) 59.3 62.2 58.5 Avg Yield 2249 4477 2934 Grazing Days 38 40 Cow Days/A 72 99 58 $/C/D $0.38 $0.29 $0.50 Harvest Efficiency 83% 71% 57% Weight Change -9 lbs +2 lbs

Questions?

What is a stocking rate? Stocking rate is the number of grazing animals that a given piece of land can sustain for a given time period without damaging the forage resource. It can be figured for the entire year, or for a certain number of days.

Forage Budgeting.(F-2584) Animal Side 1200# cow Livestock description__________ Total number of days__________ Dry matter consumption__________ Lbs/animal_______ x animals_______= Total # forage required_________/2000 =_________tons of forage required. 365 50 lbs/day @ 60% utilization 18,250 1 18,250 9.1 Assumes 60 % grazing utilization of standing forage. Each cow would need 9 tons of forage per year.

Forage Budgeting Avg. Yields Most E OK soils will produce 1 ton of forage/acre of introduced varieties Bermuda Fescue They will produce 2 tons/acre if true native forage But, remember take ½ - leave ½ rule! How many acres per cow would be the average stocking rate in E OK? 9 ACRES!