Summer sustenance

Summer annuals were the focus of MFA’s 2024 Forage Tour, which was held for the first time at the University of Missouri’s Cornett Research Farm in Linneus, Mo. The trials looked at the impact of different herbicides on weed control in sorghum-sudan, grazing performance in multi-species versus single species summer annuals, and best practices in planting and managing teffgrass and crabgrass. Nearly 60 MFA employees attended the tour July 25 to learn about the research and results.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in our trade territory, we all have hot dry summers, and that’s when cool-season grasses, which make up the majority of our grazing and haying systems, aren’t productive,” said Landry Jones, MFA conservation grazing specialist who helps organize the annual forage tour. “That’s why we wanted to highlight the benefits of summer annuals and come away with additional recommendations for our producers. Having a warm-season forage, summer annuals or even perennials, really allows us to manage our operations differently and increase profitability.”

For the herbicide trials, the MFA agronomy team planted a brown midrib, dwarf hybrid sorghum-
sudan, and the plots were sprayed on June 27 with different treatments, including single herbicides and common combinations of products. The studies compared the effectiveness of weed control as well as the impact on sorghum-sudan growth when applying 2,4-D alone; 2,4-D and Duracor; Duracor alone; Duracor and Remedy; Permit; and Yukon, which is Permit plus dicamba.

“Some herbicides have a label to spray over summer annuals. Some don’t, but people use them anyway,” Jones said. “What we found out was the premium products—those specifically designed to be used in summer annuals—really do a great job of controlling weeds. Some producers balk at the cost to spray some of those herbicides, but what we saw in the field was that the cheaper product didn’t have  great control on weeds. If you’re looking for a herbicide that’s going to keep the field clean for a long time, you need those products that are designed for that purpose. You end up paying a little more for them, but they do what they’re meant to do, and that’s keeping the forage clean and weed-free.”

Specifically, Jones pointed out that both Permit and Yukon are labeled to be sprayed at a full rate over summer forages, and their performance was superior to the other herbicides used in the MFA trials. 

“We’re looking for good weed control with minimal amount of damage to the desired plants,” said David Moore, MFA range and pasture specialist, as he led the forage tour attendees through the plots. “Yukon is a great product. Permit is a great product. Both control a broad range of weeds, and you can hardly see any negative effects on the sorghum-sudan. We don’t have a lot of options for summer annuals, and I sure like having those available.”

Also at the Cornett Farm, the MFA research team experimented with various planting methods and management for other summer annuals, including teffgrass and crabgrass, which are becoming popular choices for forage producers, Jones said. Known for its fine leaves and high quality, teffgrass is fairly drought tolerant and well-suited for hot, dry summers. While some producers consider crabgrass in their pasture as a weed, it is also valued as a warm-season forage. Varieties MFA tested are designed to produce yields of 3-6 tons per acre.

“A lot of folks will use these annuals to help thicken a cool-season grass stand, such as fescue, so they can use it in the summer,” Jones said. “Some of those species will work OK because you can plant them deep, and they compete with fescue fairly well. Some of the others don’t do well at all. You need pretty clean seed beds for them to establish and grow.” 

Teffgrass, for example, has small, delicate seeds, and if planted too deep, they may struggle to emerge from the soil. For best results, Jones said, teffgrass requires a finely prepared seedbed and shallow planting depth of ⅛ to ¼ inch.

“Again, we were comparing the cheap or the less-management intensive option versus trying to do it the right way, and we saw what we expected—that putting in the effort and maybe a little more time and dollars per acre yielded a better crop,” Jones explained. “When we didn’t take the appropriate steps, the forage suffered pretty drastically, which kept us from having a valuable crop to harvest, whether with cattle or hay machinery.”

As for future forage tours, MFA now has a long-term home under a lease agreement with Wall Street Cattle Company in Lebanon, Mo., where the agronomy team will have 15 acres to develop research trials. Plans are now underway for the 2025 studies, which will include another look at crabgrass, intensively managed fescue, silage and alfalfa. 

“Because we haven’t had a devoted spot for our forage research in the past, our hands have been tied about what we can showcase and learn,” Jones said. “This gives us the ability to really do some longer-term research and analysis of products and bring information to our customers that we haven’t been able to do in the past.”    

NovaGraz is ‘game-changer’ in pasture weed control

Attendees of MFA’s recent forage tours have been hearing about a new herbicide that controls a broad spectrum of pasture weeds while preserving white clover and lespedeza. MFA agronomists have researched the promising product for several years under its temporary name, ProClova, as the herbicide’s parent company, Corteva Agriscience, waited for EPA approval. Its registration came through last fall, and the herbicide, now officially called “NovaGraz,” became available for commercial use.

Multiple years of testing show NovaGraz controls important broadleaf species, including ironweed, cocklebur, buttercup, biennial thistles, ragweeds, plantain and many others, while maintaining stands of those legumes that are important for their nitrogen-fixing capabilities and improving both grazing quality and quantity. In research trials where NovaGraz herbicide controlled broadleaf weeds and preserved white clover, pastures produced 21% more total forage, compared with untreated sites.

David Moore, MFA range and pasture specialist, said NovaGraz is a “game-changer” for forage producers.

“To a certain extent, we can have our cake and eat it, too! For the first time, we have the ability to truly control weeds in white clover and annual lespedeza,” Moore said. “If your plans include planting clover, I strongly suggest using 1.5 pounds of Will ladino and 6 pounds of annual lespedeza.”

Moore notes that NovaGraz does not provide residual activity like other popular pasture products such as DuraCor, and it will not preserve other clover species—only white clover. It will kill red clover, he warned. He also cautions producers to be prepared to see leaf yellowing and lodging of white clover stands after application. These effects last two to three weeks, with white clover fully recovering four to six weeks afterward.

NovaGraz is now available through MFA for the 2025 application season. Visit your MFA solutions provider for details.    

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