As fall approaches, cattle producers should begin planning for winter annual forages. Whenever possible, establish winter annuals on well-drained, fertile soils. If your pasture or field is poorly drained, consider planting ryegrass, as it is generally a better option than small grains under wet conditions.
Growers should also consider treating seed with an approved fungicide before planting. Seedling diseases such as Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and others can reduce stands when planting during the warmer months of September and October, especially in South Georgia.
Winter annual forages can be seeded from late September through late October in the Coastal Plain region. If late-fall and early-winter grazing are desired in the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont regions, plant on the earlier side of the recommended planting window and use a prepared seedbed. During late fall and early winter, avoid overgrazing newly established pastures. For best results, maintain at least 2½ inches of stubble height on winter annual forage stands.
If planting into a prepared seedbed, prepare the field two to three weeks before planting, if practical. This allows the soil to settle and firm, improving seed germination and seedling development. Although deep soil preparation is not necessary for grazing crops, deep tillage may benefit row crops planted the following spring.
Drilling or using a cultipacker seeder provides more precise seed placement than broadcasting or disking. When broadcasting seed, increase the seeding rate by 25% to 30% to compensate for variable seed placement. The recommended planting depth for rye, oats, wheat, and triticale is 1 to 1½ inches in moist soil. Ryegrass should not be planted deeper than ½ inch.
When planting mixtures of ryegrass and small grains, it is often easier to broadcast the ryegrass seed and then drill the small grains into the seedbed to achieve proper planting depth for each species. When grown alone, recommended seeding rates for rye, wheat, oats, and triticale range from 90 to 120 pounds per acre. In mixtures, seeding rates can be reduced to 60 to 90 pounds per acre. Ryegrass should be seeded at 20 to 30 pounds per acre when grown alone and 15 to 20 pounds per acre when included in mixtures. Use higher seeding rates when broadcasting and lower rates when drilling into a prepared seedbed or existing sod.
To maximize forage production, split nitrogen applications throughout the growing season. Apply 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting or shortly after emergence to promote growth, tillering, and earlier grazing. A second application of 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre should be made in mid-winter to increase winter and spring forage production. If ryegrass is included in the forage program, a third application of 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre may be needed in early spring.
Producers who overseed winter annuals into perennial pastures should remember the importance of removing excess summer forage growth before planting. Thin stands are often the result of poor seed-to-soil contact and competition from existing vegetation. Warm-season perennial grasses such as bermudagrass and bahiagrass typically provide forage for five to six months each year. Overseeding these pastures with winter annuals can add 75 to 100 days of high-quality grazing during late winter and spring. Overseeding should occur in the fall after cooler temperatures have slowed the growth of warm-season grass
If you have questions please contact your local count Extension agent.