After weeks of dry conditions, most of East Texas finally caught a good, soaking rain. At my place in Clawson, I’ve accumulated just over four inches, and that’s well below some of my buddies.
It’s a welcome relief, but it has many cattle producers asking the same question: “What now?” Do we turn cows back out, start fertilizing again, or rush to plant winter pasture?
Rain is a good start, but it doesn’t instantly fix drought-stressed forage. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension forage specialists constantly remind us that grass recovery takes sunlight, time, and root energy—not just moisture. Even after a solid rain, warm-season forages like bermudagrass and bahiagrass need some rest to rebuild carbohydrate reserves. Grazing too soon lets cows do well in the short term, but we can expect weak stands going into winter.
AgriLife recommends producers avoid immediate heavy grazing after drought. When plants are stressed, they need time to regrow leaves and restore root systems. If cattle are turned out before enough leaf area develops, root reserves are depleted and winter survival suffers. One of the best management decisions you can make after rain is to slow down and let the grass respond.
So, should you fertilize warm-season grasses now? Generally, no. Fertilizer only pays when plants are actively growing and able to use those nutrients. Cooler night temperatures and shorter days are already reducing growth rates.
My home thermometer read 41 degrees F the morning I wrote this article and more cool weather was in the forecast. Knowing how summer forages are slowing down with the shorter days and cooler temperatures, nitrogen would not provide enough return to justify the cost. In most every situation, it would be more profitable to save that input for spring green-up.
If you have held back on planting ryegrass, clover, wheat, oats, or rye because of dry soil, now is the time to get that done! If you have been blessed with enough rainfall to have ruts left after field work, consider waiting until the soil has dried enough to avoid ruts or compaction, then planting into a firm seedbed with good seed-to-soil contact.
If we continue to receive follow-up moisture, newly planted pastures should establish well. However, if you’re planning to broadcast seed on existing summer grasses, the remaining warm-season canopy may shade or compete with young seedlings. A light grazing or mowing beforehand can help open the stand.
As with any year, avoid planting winter annuals too deep. Small-seeded forages like ryegrass should be placed no deeper than ¼–½ inch. Small grains—oats, wheat, and rye—can be planted deeper, but only if there’s moisture where the seed is placed. Overly loose or fluffy soil can dry quickly, so a firm seedbed improves success.
Interestingly, with the month-and-a-half dry spell, our area was able to produce a tremendous volume of hay before the rain shut off. Producers should be encouraged to use hay strategically to relieve grazing pressure while pastures rebuild root reserves. A few weeks of rest now can pay off with stronger stands in spring.
Rain may change our outlook, but not the need for good management. Now is the time to: give pastures time to recover, plant cool-season forages carefully and at proper depth, avoid unnecessary fertilizing until spring growth resumes, and use our abundant hay to protect weakened summer pastures.
East Texas just received a break from the drought at the end of our summer. If we make smart decisions now, our forages will be healthier going into winter and ready to respond when spring returns.
For more information on pasture management topics, be sure to visit my favorite AgriLife pasture management blog, Forage Fax, at foragefax.tamu.edu.
