With no other good alternatives out there right now, there stands to be a lot of potential interest for grazing wheat pastures this year, according to Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel. He recently told Farm Director Ron Hays that with fresh rains across the wheat belt and soil temperatures down in Oklahoma, farmers probably have the best opportunity they’ve had in several years to plant their wheat early. For producers who want to get a head start in establishing fall wheat pasture, he says now is the time to get it in the ground.
To ensure you get the most pounds of forage in your pasture, Dr. Peel says farmers will need to make some early considerations.
“If you’re growing forage for winter grazing you’re going to plant earlier - there are some agronomic tradeoffs - it’s really a different crop, and so dual purpose wheat in that sense is different than grain only,” Peel said. “So that affects how we’re going to do it for this winter and again it may affect how we set ourselves up to be ready for next spring depending on whether we do in fact want to harvest that grain or go ahead and graze out the wheat.”
Listen to Dr. Derrell Peel offer his advice to farmers about establishing wheat pastures this fall with Farm Director Ron Hays on today’s Beef Buzz.
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