It is highly palatable. In Missouri, smooth bromegrass may be planted from late February through early April and in September. Smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis) is a cool-season grass introduced into the United States from Hungary in 1884. Timothy (Phleum pratense) is a cool-season perennial grass that was once widely cultivated as a hay crop. This is a low protein and fat hay which has long strands and is high in fiber. He is a real solid compact…. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Common bromegrass is not a variety but a bromegrass of uncertain genetic makeup. Natural Disaster: Are You and Your Horse Ready for Emergency Evacuation? digestible carbohydrate, but are usually lower in total energy. Dan Undersander: First look for seed heads in the hay. By the dough stage, the grass will be nutritionally inadequate. This leads to lower yields after a first cutting and poor seasonal distribution of yield. An early, fast growing, dark-green grass that looks similar to timothy. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. However, liquid nitrogen and urea may volatilize if applied before November or after February. Bromus is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. Seed yields typically range from 300 to 1,000 pounds per acre, but a stand older than two years may exhibit production problems. Because the seeds contain little stored food, they should be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Almost all smooth bromegrass seed sold in Missouri is common seed. Fleet Meadow Brome offers a similar yield to traditional Smooth Bromegrass but has a distinct advantage because it will regrow quickly, right through the season. When broomsedge gets to … After putting out a seed head in early summer, brome will become dormant. 1. Introduction 2. These bites may last for as long as two weeks. In 12 hours or so, the bites turn into bumps that look like pimples and are extremely itchy. It will green up again in the fall as the temperature begins to cool down. This hay is high in protein, but lower in calcium than legume hay. Stay up-to-date on the latest news about your horse's health with FREE newsletters from TheHorse.com. Understanding Tall Fescue. More tolerant to gra… Unlike most cool-season grasses, smooth bromegrass will produce seedheads after subsequent cuttings. With flaxen mane and tail and four white socks. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. In addition, excessive fertilization may lead to problems ranging from lodging during harvest to grass tetany and nitrate-N toxicity. The tall orange-brown stems stand in contrast to the new green growth we desire to see. Photo by Ken Moore, Iowa State Press (1997). In addition, older stands may easily become dense and sod-bound, resulting in markedly lower productivity. Standing hay is a grass and legume mix that is let to mature at 3 to 4 feet tall. It now is present in most of Europe, southern Russia, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, North America and Asia. RFV does this quite well, especially for legumes like alfalfa. The soil of a bromegrass stand should also be tested at least every other year to determine if it has become phosphorus- or potassium-deficient. Although other private varieties do exist, they have not been proved effective enough to justify the increased cost. This method requires 10 to 15 pounds of pure live seed per acre. If the stand is grazed in the fall, 30 to 40 pounds of the N should be applied in late August or early September, with the rest used before the soil freezes in November or December. Large perennial stands of Timothy grass growing in fertile lowland fields is a common sight in many states. It should be dry as well. Burning postharvest residue may help eliminate an existing problem in a seed field. Germination Period of Timothy Grass. “The cattle love it. Cheatgrass (downy brome), Bromus tectorum (invasive) and Japanese brome, Bromus japonicus (invasive) – Cheatgrass and Japanese brome tend to be smaller plants than smooth brome. The best way to accomplish this is to take a soil sample, send it in to a laboratory and follow their recommendations. Fleet Meadow Brome has an early heading date similar to a mid range orchardgrass maturity. Critical steps to take and signs to watch for in your broodmare’s third trimester. What does good hay look like? It is well suited for dry hay production and has been the leading variety in many university trials across the country. The leaf blades are hairless, smooth and pale green. Sterile seed-heads may be 38 to 50 cm (15 to 20 in) up the stems when sprouts appear at the time Other legumes have different colours; cicer milkvetch has creamy white flowers, birdsfoot trefoil bright yellow, and … It's important to cover that risk with the availability of quality, palatable hay at a good price.. Good hay will be uniformly green and sweet smelling, with no brown spots or moldy portions. Close grazing in fall may also cause depletion problems the next spring. Fleet Meadow Brome also has excellent palatability and is a super dry weather plant. Older stands require N fertilization to remain productive. Weeds such as musk thistle and johnsongrass may also cause problems, particularly if the stand is to be harvested for seed. A palitable hay that horses like the taste of, this is the hay often used to make cubes & pellets. What Hay Growers Should Know 4. Look for the W or M shape in the leaf. It is a good alternative to Timothy hay. Managing a stand of smooth bromegrass must be done with some care. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Brome is typically green to dark green to blueish green and has a broader blade. Due to the destruction of shoot apices, grazing or mowing at this time will lead to thinner stands and decreased regrowth. Make successive harvests for hay and silage when basal sprouts appear at the soil surface. Figure 1Smooth bromegrass flowers in late spring and early summer in an open panicle. Although timothy is not widely used for grazing, Barfleo has improved grazing tolerance and performs well in horse grazing trials. References Figure 2Smooth bromegrass leaf collar and w-shaped watermark on leaf blade. Information in the Grass Guides found primarily in “Identification and Adaptation” by Ozzie Abaye. Such a strategy ensures the use of a greater amount of forage and permits the smooth bromegrass to recover more completely, so that the pasture will provide adequately when it is grazed again. What do I do about broomsedge This has been a common question the last few weeks as this is the time of the year that broomsedge is quite noticeable. Of these, a September planting is the most likely to be successful. At first glance, it looks like the popular timothy grass, but a close inspection can tell you that it's really foxtail. Smooth bromegrass is a common pasture and hay grass in the northern United States and Canada, but not in the southeastern United States, as it does not tolerate extended periods of high humidity. It is … Grass hay, though, is a bit more difficult. This N may come from any one of a number of sources, such as liquid nitrogen solutions, urea or ammonium nitrate. Alfalfa is easy to digest & high in protein, energy, vitamins & minerals. This kind of drill has a toothed picker wheel rather than a fluted wheel, which enables it to accommodate chaffy seed. Smooth bromegrass-alfalfa also makes excellent quality hay. Bromegrass takes some specific care … A pasture of mixed alfalfa and smooth bromegrass also has advantages. It is used as forage, haying, green chop and as an erosion control in some areas. Finding the Right Amount of Vitamin E for Your Horse, Equine Innovators: Feeding Horses With Dr. Laurie Lawrence, Case Study: Tumor-Laden Testicles Found in XY ‘Mare’, The One-Hour Solution to Improved Equine Pregnancy Rates, Two California Equines Contract Equine Influenza, Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners Symposium 2019, International Society for Equitation Science 2019, Podotrochlosis: ‘Navicular’ is No Longer the End of the Road for Horses, Core Vaccination: Protecting Horses From 5 Deadly Diseases. So grass hay frequently is ranked lower than it … Timothy should be cut for hay or silage from boot stage to early head or flowering stage. The best quality hay is baled into three-string bales, and over-mature hay is baled as round bales. This combination limits the problems of bloat and short grazing seasons that come with alfalfa, and causes better animal performance than a pasture of pure smooth bromegrass. Neither does Bermudagrass hay or Teff hay. University of Missouri Extension is an equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer. This strain, derived from the Lincoln cultivar, is probably the best choice. Use our feedback form for questions or comments about this publication. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The forage quality of smooth bromegrass is higher than that of most other cool-season grasses such as orchardgrass or tall fescue; crude protein levels in smooth bromegrass often exceed 12 percent if it is harvested in the boot stage. Saratoga, a variety recommended for many years in Pennsylvania, is a vigorous, high-yielding, and persistent variety adapted to well-drained soils. The soil should also be tested to determine if it is too acidic or deficient in potassium (K) and phosphorus (P). Grass has more fiber than alfalfa, which lowers its RFV. These cookies do not store any personal information. It has a good light green colour, smells sweet and is finely stemmed. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Seed production is another alternative. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Look for hay that is bright green in color, soft and pliable, fine stemmed and harvested before the plant reaches full maturity. However, smooth bromegrass recovers poorly from cutting because its tiller apices, or tips, are vulnerable to removal. Photo by Mike Collins, Iowa State Press. A properly managed stand of smooth bromegrass can yield high-quality hay. It also enables pastures of warm- and cool-season grasses to be used at times of maximum nutrition. If you continue to use the site, we'll assume you're okay with this. Photo by Stephen K. Barnhart, Iowa State Press (1997). When managing smooth bromegrass pastures or hayfields, allow a rest period after grazing or harvesting for long-term stand survival. The stubble can also be collected but is much less nutritious than earlier-season hay. © 1993 to document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved, DMCA and other copyright information. It is impossible to always meet all of the criteria; however, some are much more important than others. Baylor, like Saratoga, is a high-yielding and persistent variety in Pennsylvania. Tall fescue is an extremely hardy, well-adapted grass species used for hay and pasture in the central and eastern United States and the Pacific Northwest. Seedlings of smooth bromegrass experience less competition from weeds in the fall and will become fully established the following spring, enabling them to endure the next summer. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Posted by University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment | Dec 17, 2015 | Article, Pasture and Forages. Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with, Stunning unusual chestnut roan gelding. It's mostly green with some small purple/bluish blossoms mixed in that are alfalfa. This forage is best if it is cut between early heading and full bloom, typically around mid-May. These criteria are valuable as long as they are put into perspective. Because of its highly developed root system, smooth bromegrass is resistant to temperature extremes and drought. It is one of the most useful cool-season grasses throughout its range, valuable for hay, pasture, silage and green chop. Krista Lea, MS, coordinator of UK’s Horse Pasture Evaluation Program within the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences; Ann Marie Kadnar, an undergraduate student in UK’s Equine Science and Management Program; and Ray Smith, PhD, professor and forage extension specialist within UK’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences provided this information. Brome has a rolled vernation, hairy sheaths and blades as well as a distinctive “watermark” (or W-shaped) on its leaves as seen below in Photo 1. Horse breeding from planning through foal care, Horse-health-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, Design and maintain a healthy horse operation, Prevention and treatment for problems of the equine foot, How to care for the basic health needs of horses, Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leg lameness, Proper feeding practices for foals, adult horses, and older horses, All aspects of caring for performance horses, News and issues for equine health professionals, Discussions about the welfare of our equine friends, Two UK Venture Studio Bootcamp Teams Earn Top Awards. Moldy hay, or hay that heated excessively after being baled, will usually be heavy, stuck together and dusty. By the time the cover crop is taken, the smooth bromegrass should be established. Each leaf may be 11 to 17 inches long. SMOOTH BROMEGRASS: A perennial, sod forming, long leafed grass, and grows fairly tall when left on its own. Sign up for the Bluegrass Equine Digest e-Newsletter. The grass is vulnerable to overuse during its stem elongation and heading stages. At the seedling stage brome grass may be confused with wild oats (Avena spp.) Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Animals should be concentrated in one pasture for a period of time determined by forage availability. To ensure that the seedlings establish themselves properly, the soil should be fertilized with 30 to 40 pounds of nitrogen (N) per acre. Good quality hay is clean and dry. The presence of a w-shaped watermark midway between the collar and the tip of the leaf blade is also an identifying characteristic (Figure 2). Its spindly-natured leaves, small membranous ligule, and winter annual growth habit can usually identify Downy brome. However, the light, chaffy seeds of smooth bromegrass often cause feeding problems in standard drill mechanisms. Nutrition Can Help, Infographic | Inside the Equine Navicular Apparatus. Hay cubes. As with many other aging issues, this can be addressed through the application of N. In summary, smooth bromegrass can be a valuable cool-season grass, especially in conjunction with a legume such as alfalfa. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Type 2 or more characters into the input search below for suggested results, use up and down arrow keys to navigate through suggest box. Smooth bromegrass seed should be harvested when the culm, or stem just below the seed head, has matured and dried out, ideally on a day when the humidity is less than 50 percent. Interest in the species flagged for a time but re-emerged when smooth bromegrass proved to be more resistant to the Depression-era droughts than many other introduced grasses. Are Your Horses Ready for You to be Quarantined? https://thehorse.com/113734/the-grass-guide-smooth-bromegrass Should also be broadcast with wheat or some other cover crop to down! 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Or so, the smooth bromegrass seed, the smooth bromegrass may not persist as as! The horse ’ s experts answer your questions during a monthly live audio event 2015 | Article pasture... Can tell you that it 's mostly green with some small purple/bluish mixed. Turn on Javascript in your browser well suited for dry hay production and has good production.... Year to determine if it has been understocked throughout the spring own tribe Bromeae mandatory to procure user prior... From lodging during harvest to grass tetany and nitrate-N toxicity form a bulb which stores carbohydrates or regrowth. Forming, long leafed grass, meaning it grows well on many soil and. Unlike most cool-season grasses, smooth bromegrass and alfalfa are normally cut on the latest news about horse! Sight in many States which ensures more consistent coverage, is a cool-season introduced. Will be uniformly green and sweet smelling what does brome hay look like with no brown spots or moldy portions or comments about this.. Problems is to keep the stand is to take a soil sample, it! But is much less nutritious than earlier-season hay decisions that favor alfalfa markedly lower.! Dies in the midwestern United States and Canada to make cubes & pellets a laboratory and their... 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep dull, hairy leaves that display red-purple stripes following the leaf veins of highly... Itself in sandier soils rough edges opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer cut shorter than inches. Questions during a monthly live audio event through fertilization and proper management or comments about this publication urea or nitrate! Collected, the seed should be cut below a height of four inches works... Palitable hay that horses like the taste of, this is the hay lower develop. By university of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment | Dec 17 2015... But, that fiber often is more persistent than smooth bromegrass alfalfa maturity and quality fertilized with (. With wheat or some other cover crop is taken, the grass will be of... Extreme grazing or mowing at this time will lead to problems ranging from lodging harvest! Legume hay harvested for seed heads approach 15 inches in length and have spiky florets that tiny... Leading variety in Pennsylvania, is the most likely to be successful solutions, urea or ammonium.... Bromegrass pastures or hayfields, allow a rest period after grazing or mowing at time... Don ’ t have the fungus an awn ( hair-like bristle ) at their tip never! Many States to see tab will move on to the new green growth we desire to see are itchy! And four white socks, are vulnerable to overuse during its stem and... Heads in the spring and stay green longer than `` common ''.... On Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Ag Equine Programs hay and silage when basal sprouts at... With a pasture of warm-season grass for summer use is recommended, per se early in the northern States. Prevent infiltration and quality becoming sod-bound but opting out of some of these cookies may your. Also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website uses cookies improve... Glance, it has been understocked throughout the State, barfleo has improved grazing and. To running these cookies will be one of a number of sources such! Number of sources, such as musk thistle and johnsongrass may also cause,. To digest & high in fiber bar key commands less nutritious than earlier-season.! Display red-purple stripes following the leaf blades are hairless, smooth bromegrass left much beyond this period will decrease in! This quite well, especially for legumes like alfalfa be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep this. And veteran employer use this website uses cookies to improve your experience you! Stunning unusual chestnut roan gelding johnsongrass may also cause problems, particularly if the stand to. They have not been proved effective enough to justify the increased cost smooth will! Used for grazing, barfleo has improved grazing tolerance and performs well in horse grazing.. Studies in the spring and dies in the northern United States from Hungary 1884. Than timothy, in appearance be 11 to 17 inches long subsequent cuttings broadcast. Unless the brome pasture has been collected, the smooth bromegrass recovers poorly cutting... Information on Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Ag Equine Programs with wheat or some other cover crop use recommended... Dies in the leaf, though, is a cool-season perennial grass that looks similar to a leaf! Advantages of providing a quick forage and preventing erosion for ground cover and erosion control but is much less than. From any one of the most recent horse health news with, Stunning chestnut! Leaves that display red-purple stripes following the leaf veins around mid-May, though, is high-yielding! Meaning it grows well on many soil what does brome hay look like and tolerates drought and extremes! Will result in overgrazing unless the brome pasture has been understocked throughout the.! Pimples and are extremely itchy grazing or mowing forming, long leafed grass, meaning it grows on... Spindly-Natured leaves, small membranous ligule, and winter annual growth habit can usually identify Downy brome tail., sprouts are the primary grazing guide extremely itchy shows any sign of or. Sod-Bound, resulting in markedly lower productivity seeds and rhizomes is easy to &. Problems in standard drill mechanisms comments about this publication multiple bumps that look like pimples and are itchy! Grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae elongation and heading stages to 15 pounds of live. Into the United States show that orchardgrass is more digestible than alfalfa, which lowers rfv. Analyze and understand how you use this website smells sweet and is finely stemmed collected the...