Bowring Ranch Sod House Sunday

[Faster horses]

Prairie Sand Reed Grass, that's the big YUK for me. Nothing will eat it.
It looks so good during the summer, kind of like a broam grass. But it will still be there in the fall, and in the winter and the spring and next summer...

We tasted it once, Double YUK. It tastes like oil. It grows in sandy soil and is usually found on the top and/or upper side of hills. It turns a pretty mauve color in the fall.

It isn't worth anything as far as I know.

 

[Haytrucker]

In about 1981 I had this grass identification thing down, I have slipped some since. Soapweed; I think what I'm calling "needlegrass" isn't true needle-and-thread, in fact it can't be because isn't N&T a decreaser? You're right about the wet years and needle grass, this country is absolutely overgrown with I'm afraid is going turn out to be "fuel". In '03 I hayed some dryland, with a "little" needlegrass in it, and I would again, if I had all the stickers out of my gloves from that batch.

 

[Jinglebob]

Prairie Sand Reed Grass, that's the big YUK for me. Nothing will eat it.
It looks so good during the summer, kind of like a broam grass. But it will still be there in the fall, and in the winter and the spring and next summer...

We tasted it once, Double YUK. It tastes like oil. It grows in sandy soil and is usually found on the top and/or upper side of hills. It turns a pretty mauve color in the fall.

It isn't worth anything as far as I know.

If you would take a check on this grass around the first of march or april. I think you would find that it would run about 15 % protein. It might be that good all the time, but just takes until then to lignify so that the cattle will eat it. Tumbleweed would know about this. He's studied all of this.

There are no bad grasses, only bad timing for use of different species, IMO.
Well.........maybe not cheatgrass, tho it does make a hell of a good firerstarter. And I've been told cattle would starve in Nevada if there wasn't cheatgrass.

 

[Anonymous]

Jinglebob, I have to take friendly issue with you on part of your statement.
I have done several grass samples, and unless you are talking about possible new growth in March, that time of the year is normally the poorest protein in grasses. I have found that May and June have the highest proteins, but cattle can hardly eat enough grass with the water content being so high then. Except in drought of course, then all bets are off.

Crested wheat can be close to 20% protein before it joints, and other grasses can be very high in protein also.

What is lignify? I am going to show my ignorance here.

Maybe I will see you in BF tomorrow? We could cuss and discuss it over a beverage.

 

[Faster horses]

It might have some protein but it is just so darn unpalatable nothing will eat it.

Have you ever tasted it? Try it sometime~

 

[Jeannie]

Soapweed, I'm sorry about helping to derail this thread and neglecting to congratulate you on your win. Congratulations! I truly meant to do that, and got sidetracked with grass identification.

 

[Faster horses]

The real jake... YOU ARE SO RIGHT ON!!

We have taken grass samples as well and in June they came back 18-20% protein, 80% moisture. We have helped many of our customers by recommending that they put some old hay or straw bales out for the cows to use for dry matter. It is suprising how well it works. We have found cows don't 'chase green grass'. What they are chasing is DRY MATTER.

Dry matter is a definite requirement of a cow, is pretty simple to provide. The cows won't eat that hay or straw like when it is being fed in the winter, but they will eventually eat it. Just a mouthful or so at a time and pretty soon it is gone. We were just as skeptical as anyone when we were told about doing this, but we are here to tell ya, IT DOES WORK!

When the grass dries out in the fall it becomes undigestable, therefore the cows can't get enough and that again is when providing dry matter in the form of some other feed is helpful. Do you notice that your cows eat more mineral (and even overeat it) in the fall when the grass is dried up? They are trying to get more dry matter and it is easier to get from the mineral tub than from the grass.