News

Incorporating warm season annuals into cool season pastures

A southeast Minnesota farmer is incorporating warm season annuals into cool season pastures.

Kaleb Anderson has a diversified crop and livestock farm in Goodhue County, utilizing various grazing strategies for his cattle.

He’s in year two of mob-grazing pasture mid-summer to create a seed bed for drilling warm season annuals.

“If you look at a cool season growth curve, the growth in the spring is really high.  In July and August it slows down.  Then in the fall, it kind of comes back a little bit.  Then if you superimpose a warm season growth curve, it doesn’t start out nearly as high in the spring.  Then in July and August, it peaks.”

Anderson says marrying the warm and cool season plant species benefits the cattle and land.

“I’m trying to increase the amount of forage that’s available for the cattle, and also increase the diversity that’s out on those acres at the same time.  And I guess the third benefit is having a more diverse diet for the cattle.  So it’s sort of a win, win, win.”

He tells Brownfield timing is important, and recommends planting the warm season annuals around July first in northern climates.

Anderson says those plants need plenty of summer heat to get established within cool season pastures.