I am seeing lots of preparation going on prior to planting winter grazing. Bush hogging, cutting hay, lots of ground being broken up and even some early planting of oats. We are certainly looking for some rainfall in order to kick things into a higher gear. Who would have thought we would be talking about dry conditions 6 weeks ago? It would be interesting to know how much hay has been rolled up in south Mississippi in the last 10 days. I don’t think the quality was great, but due to the rains we got, there is plenty of quantity.
Good sale yesterday thanks to our producers. Lots of cows and thankfully the market stayed pretty steady. Had 3 deals where we cleaned the pastures of cows and calves – whether it was due to lost leases or producers changing direction in the cattle business. Lots of pairs, bred cows of every shape and description – we had a very diverse offering. Top pair was $1,260.00 and top bred cow was $1,225.00. Anytime we know these type sales are coming up, we post on Facebook and try to get the word out to any buyers who might be interested.
Getting back to winter grazing – there are lots of methods used by our producers. Some prepare seedbeds, some scratch it in with a disk and harrow, and some just plant over the top. Grain-drills are used mostly, no till and lots of broadcasting. If you are gonna invest the time and money, I urge you to do it right. Warm nights and humid conditions will often bring effects from blast. Blast can lead anywhere from a partial loss in ryegrass to a total loss. There is no fungicide on the market to control it. I often tell producers to at least get a stand of ryegrass up before ever fertilizing. That’s especially true when planting in permanent pasture, such as Bahia or Bermuda grass.
Stay safe and we look forward to seeing everyone next week.
SINCERELY,
MIKE KEENE
Copyright © 2022 Southeast Mississippi Livestock - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy