Depending on where you are in Nebraska, your meadows may be wet or bone dry, and the grass is short. Many have already harvested their meadows, while others are just getting started.

Subirrigated meadows in some parts of the state remain too wet to hay, while most have had a good window to put it up for the first time in two or three years. If the cool-season grasses are short this year because of the challenging spring, they still may be high quality.

As the summer progresses and the plants become more mature, the quality of the standing hay continues to decrease.

Grazing option

In the Sandhills, hay cut Aug. 1 has a crude protein content of 6.4%, but can vary by year. Grazing in the winter may be the only option for wet meadows. Temporary fence and water may be another cost, but there will be no expense of putting up the hay.

This also eliminates the risk of damaging the meadow with equipment, or risking bales sitting in water until winter. Dry cows can do well grazing mature meadows during the winter, and may only require some protein supplementation to maintain body condition.

What if the hay can get put up, but it’s put up late resulting in low-quality hay? Regrowth after an early August cutting was measured in September, and the regrowth contained 16.5% crude protein. This is a great grazing option for weaned calves, or even dry cows if stocked correctly.

More meadows are being hayed this year than the past few years. With meadows that remain wet, these options may work better every year for an operation. 

Schick is a Nebraska Extension educator.

Source: UNL Forage Minute, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.