Fall & Winter 2012: Volume 33, Numbers 3 & 4 - Missouri Prairie ...

Susan Hilty
Moving Forward
from the Drought
The Drought of 2012 was the big
news this past summer. How long
will it last? Previous droughts have
been multiple years more often than
single years. The 1810s drought lasted six years, the 1860s drought lasted
seven years, the 1930s drought was eight years, the 1950s and the 1980s
droughts lasted five years. Wet years often occur during droughts; for
example the worst years of 1934 and 1936 were separated by a wet 1935.
Likewise, 1982 was exceptionally wet, breaking a string of dry years. There
have been several two-year and single-year droughts; the most recent
were 1988 and 2006. So, which will this one be? It already is two years
if you include the southwest last year. Even if it’s a short-term drought,
don’t expect any appreciable moisture until at least March.
Throughout the summer, Missouri has had the worst pasture condition
of any Midwestern state, rated 99% poor or very poor. It isn’t that we
have been that much hotter or drier, but the state of our pastures is in part
a reflection of decisions to convert 99.9 % of the tallgrass prairie to coolseason
pasture, trees, or cropland. Isn’t fescue great?! Remember all that
money made on fescue seed went to pay for fertilizer to ensure high seed
and hay yields. Not much left over to buy hay now.
As happened during previous droughts or dry summers, I received
a lot of inquiries this past summer about planting native warm-season
grasses for forage that would perform substantially better during dry
weather than tall fescue. I also heard from past cooperators with native
grasses who swore the grasses saved their farm or cow herd. You’d think
more producers would take note, but many are willing to wait for a
government handout. I’ve even seen some mowing their pastures even
though there’s nothing but a couple goldenrods to clip off. Habits are hard
to break, even in difficult economic times.
The following article from Don McKenzie, Director of the National
Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, sums up the opportunity to improve not
only habitat for grassland wildlife, but improve the future for livestock
producers throughout the Midwest. Don drafted a letter to the USDA,
signed by a number of conservation organizations and agencies, that suggests
a longer-term approach be taken following this drought that encourages
producers to plant drought-resistant native grasses on part of their
acreages.
Encouraging for the future of native grasses is an article on cattlegrazing
behavior by cattle producer and independent writer Heather Smith
Thomas in the July, 2012 issue of Stockman Grass Farmer. Heather quotes
Holly T. Boland, Ph.D., (Associate Research and Extension Professor, MAFES
Prairie Research Unit, Mississippi State University) on Boland’s grazing
studies in Virginia and Mississippi. “A lot of [New Zealand] focus is also on
forage-finishing beef animals without grain. Here we’re studying pastures
Native Warm-Season Grass News
A Landowner’s Guide To Wildlife-Friendly Grasslands
we’ve renovated back to native warm-season grasses such as indiangrass,
[native] bluestems, etc., that were common years ago, before non-native
species such as bermudagrass were introduced,” says Boland. In recent
years many stockman planted or sprigged monocultures of introduced forages
and many native species died out. Yet when cattle have a variety of
plants from which to select, they eat a mixed diet rather than eat only one
type of forage.
“The first year we did this, native grass pastures out-performed the
bermudagrass and the cattle looked good,” Boland says. We are taking a
multi-disciplinary approach with wildlife personnel monitoring nests of
different grassland birds, insect populations, and effects on different pollinator
species. We’re trying to look at it as an ecosystem service as well as
optimizing cattle-growing conditions,” says Boland.
Boland also said it really didn’t matter what proportion of grass or
legume was in the pasture, animals “... consistently ate about 70% of their
diet as legume and 30% as grass.” Even if grass was predominant, they
sought legumes to balance the diet. Planting monocultures or bicultures,
using aggressive introduced grasses and legumes, spraying broadleaf
herbicides, and some grazing systems can jeopardize animal health and
performance, soil health, and wildlife habitat values.
Range conservationists know that animals eat a variety of forbs
in native rangeland, not just legumes. This makes herbicides to control
broadleaves, including legumes, counter-productive as well as expensive
for producers. Given the opportunity, grazing animals will select for a
high quality, healthy diet. While it is true that some native forbs as well
as introduced weeds have toxic properties, animals seldom eat them or
enough to make them sick; or if they do, they will dilute their diet with
other nutritious plants. Drought does cause concerns, however, because
forbs and shrubs may be the only thing still green in many pastures and
starving cattle may eat plants they would not ordinarily eat. Best not to
starve them.
Yours for better grasslands,
Steve Clubine
MDC
Mike Gaskins with the
Missouri Department
of Conservation standing
between two hay
fields this past July
in Shannon County:
native prairie grasses
and wildflowers on the
left and non-native
cool-season grasses
on the right. Both had
been hayed earlier in
the year.
Vol. 33 Nos. 3 & 4 Missouri Prairie Journal 25