Annual Ryegrass…a cool season annual forage often utilized by livestock producers for winter grazing. However, it’s often deemed an enemy of many a hay producer in East Texas. Volunteer annual ryegrass can be common in hay meadows. Winter rainfalls can promote seed germination and seeds can survive for multiple years in our soils. Later maturity of annual ryegrass can delay or prevent our warm season perennial forages (i.e. bermudagrass or bahiagrass) from breaking dormancy in April/May therefore delaying our initial hay cutting.   So how do we manage… Read More →

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Weed Science is launching a newsletter that’s segmented into row crop, turf, and forage. The February issue is below along with a signup link is below to the newsletter. Forages Extension Weed Newsletter Forages Extension Weed Science Newsletter Signup       Zachary Howard Extension Program Specialist II, Weed Science Texas A&M AgriLife College Station, Texas Cell: 979.320.9914 zachary.howard@ag.tamu.edu

Soil Test!  Soil Test!  Soil Test!  If you have not done so for this year, please consider obtaining a soil test now.  There is not much that can be done regarding the high cost of fertilizer, but there is much we can do regarding how efficiently we use fertilizer.  The soil test is the first step in efficient fertilizer use and improved forage production.  Samples should be collected annually for hay meadows and every 2 to 3 years for grazing pastures.  For soil forms and bags contact your… Read More →

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants combine solar energy, atmospheric CO2, and water, within green leaf tissue (chlorophyll) to produce carbohydrates. Plants use these carbohydrates as a source of energy to carry on basic metabolic processes. In short, while overly simplistic, plants can create their own food using the simple ingredients of sunlight, water, and CO2. Plants do require, however, adequate green leaf (photosynthetic tissue) in order to carry out photosynthesis. Without these four main ingredients plants cannot survive.  As managers there is not a lot we… Read More →

Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) is a perennial broadleaf plant that usually grows in wet areas and is frequently associated with standing water. Leaves are alternate to one another along the stem forming a rosette. The mature plant stands erect and grows 2 to 5 feet tall. Leaves are alternate to one another along the stem. The small greenish flowers are arranged in dense clusters on elongated stems. The fruiting stem dies back in mid to late summer, and the fruits and stems turn a distinctive rusty brown. New… Read More →

I would encourage horse owners and trainers to engage with their local County Extension Agents. Pasture management, it seems, has a different meaning for every horse owner/manager. First, a horse has a basic nutritional requirements that are determined by stage of growth, breed and work load. As a horse owner/manager you will have to decide whether you want to utilize pasture to help meet these nutritional requirements or whether you want better ground cover in your turnout/exercise areas and pastures. A rule of thumb is that a horse… Read More →

Texas groundsel or Texas squaw-weed (Senecio ampullaceus) is a cool-season annual broadleaf plant that grows to 12 to 30 inches tall. The plants are often whitish with hair, but can be nearly hairless.  The unlobed, clasping leaves gradually reduce in size toward the top of the plant. Showy yellow flowers are produced in the spring.  Texas groundsel is found in the eastern half of the state and is abundant on sandy soils and may be a predominant species in freshly cleared forest. Members of the genus Senecio can… Read More →

It’s always best to initiate the planning process the year prior to actual planting. Evaluate the farm’s forage needs. Consider how the forage will be used (grazing vs. hay), what species are better adapted to your area (season, soil type, rainfall) and what resources (equipment, money, and time) are available. Reestablishment should be considered when less than 40% of the desirable species exist. For exclusive hay production: Take visual appraisal of meadow. Bald spots may fill in with time, fertilization and weed control. Or bald spots may be… Read More →

    Merry Christmas from my family to yours! Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season.       Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Ph.D. Professor, Forage Extension Specialist Soil & Crop Sciences Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Overton,TX vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu 903-834-6191    

There are often many questions surrounding the practice of burning pastures and hayfields. Let’s look at the more frequently asked questions.   Is it a good idea to burn my hayfield? There are several benefits to burning your hayfield. Burning can help producers manage thatch in their stands. If the thatch layer becomes too thick over time, several issues can occur. For example, thatch can tie up nutrients and serve as a “spore reservoir” for leaf spot diseases. Thick thatch layers can also hinder or delay green up,… Read More →