By Marina Miquilini
When it comes to forage crops, we aim for stable production. But maybe it’s time to start thinking a step ahead. Stability means keeping things running smoothly with only minor hiccups during typical challenges. Today, however, we’re confronted with much larger challenges, such as extreme weather events, making adapting to these new realities essential.
That’s where resistance and resilience come into play. Basically, the overall stability of forage production depends on two key factors: how much a disturbance affects it (resistance) and how quickly it bounces back (resilience).
With that in mind, we’ll focus on understanding ways to boost resistance and resilience in forage crops, so we can keep production stable even during extreme events. Key approaches include: 1) increasing plant diversity, 2) optimizing harvest and grazing management, and 3) improving soil fertility and weed control.
First, research shows that having more plant diversity helps make forage systems more stable. Simply put, diverse plant communities are better at handling disturbances because there’s a higher chance that some species can tolerate whatever stress is happening. As the less-tolerant species are affected, the more stress-tolerant ones step in, helping keep things stable.
Diversity is often measured by the number of plant species in a field, but the variety of plant functional types (like nitrogen fixers) is just as important. In forage-livestock systems, the most important plant groups are annual and perennial cool-season grasses (C3), warm-season grasses (C4), broadleaf forbs, and legumes.
Having a mix of plant types can not only boost resistance and resilience in forage crops but also maximize forage production and its availability throughout the year. For example, C4 grasses grow better in hot, dry summer months compared to C3 grasses, which are more productive during the cooler spring and fall weather.
While high plant diversity can make forage fields more stable, it’s tough to figure out how much is enough and how to make it work on your farm. Plus, adding new forage species can be tricky since fields often end up dominated by just one or two species over time.
There are plenty of plant groups and species to choose from, but you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Start small and focus on what works best for your farm. Maybe trying C4 grasses in a smaller less-productive field is a good first step. Or, if C4 grasses don’t fit your current needs, planting annual C3 grasses in one field could also help extend your grazing season. Alternatively, you might want to concentrate on managing a few key species, like grass and legume mixes.
There are many approaches to enhance plant diversity, and it’s not necessary to implement all changes in a single field simultaneously for them to be effective. You can rotate different species across fields or introduce them at staggered intervals. The best approach is to start with what aligns most closely with your farm’s current situation. Even small changes matter and can make a meaningful impact.
Second, how often and how much your forage is harvested or grazed, the type and age of the plant removed, and any stress or competition it faces before, during, or after grazing all impact how productive it will be afterward.
Cutting grass lower, whether by harvest or grazing, might give you a bigger yield upfront. But over time, this can lead to less ground cover and more weeds. At the same time, if you go easier on defoliation, the plants recover their leaf area faster, as photosynthesis takes over as the main energy source.
Research also shows that rotational stocking leads to more forage growth because it helps spread livestock more evenly, increasing density and reducing uneven grazing. This improves how efficiently forage is harvested.
Ultimately, the harvest or grazing method you choose might not matter much for plant resilience as long as you maintain the right stubble height for the species to thrive.
Management isn’t one-size-fits-all because forage and animal responses vary based on the species and how they’re managed. You can’t simply use the same approach for every farm. That’s why it’s crucial to create a long-term, customized plan that fits your specific grazing system.
Finally, ensuring proper soil pH, nutrient levels, and organic matter is essential for building a resistant and resilient forage-livestock system. Weeds pose a significant challenge to this resilience and managing them requires ongoing effort. Research indicates that maintaining optimal soil fertility is one of the most effective ways to reduce weed pressure in grazing systems. When soil fertility is high, perennial grasses thrive, leading to healthier grasslands where weeds are naturally suppressed.
Adapting your system to be resistant and resilient is crucial for preparing for extreme events while also boosting overall productivity. OSU Extension offers resources to support you. For tips and strategies, subscribe to news from the OSU Beef Team at beef.osu.edu. Your local OSU Extension Office is also ready to assist.
Challenges like this year’s drought can be stressful, no matter how prepared we are. Don’t hesitate to seek assistance. For ongoing updates and agricultural resources, visit go.osu.edu/ohiodrought. For additional information on drought preparedness and impacts, explore climate.osu.edu/drought.
Source : osu.edu