Winter Grasses or Maybe Weeds?

Most of the time we call these weeds but for lots of folks they are just another pasture grass - one that just happens to be about the only thing growing in winter!

From a livestock perspective these grasses are great because all three produce lush vegetation that is readily consumed by cattle, goats and sheep.  So, what’s the problem?  Well these grasses are fast becoming weeds especially in hay fields.  They can get so thick in growth that they will shade or choke out the bermudagrass from growing in the spring.  Then they get a lot less palatable for livestock as spring temperatures warm and days get longer.  These weeds will develop a seed head fast with very little leaf growth and cattle just won’t eat them.  These weeds in hay fields left to seed will really lower overall hay quality in that first hay cutting, one we usually expect to be the best quality.

So, what are they?  The top left picture is a grass we typically call Poa.  Technically it is Poa annua or annual bluegrass.  It is a short grass that can rapidly put out that fine seedhead you see.  It is a huge problem in lawns and other turf areas but can get to be a real problem in pastures too because there is not much competition in winter for a short grass.

The second grass picture (right) is a huge problem that is just about everywhere in Texas - rescuegrass.  You might see the name Red Brome but not often, it is rescuegrass.  It is called by that name because once upon a time cattle producers introduced it to native pastures.  At that time it grew well in fall, winter and spring when nothing else was green.  Unfortunately it grows so well that it is taking over many pastures and hay fields.  Its growing season is so long that it is a direct competitor with many native summer grasses including bermudagrass.

These last pictures are of the common wild oat.  Most people recognize it as an oat but since it is wild it does have some drawbacks.  As an oat plant the seed is nothing to really harvest and the plant itself produces a lot less forage.  You can see the oat seed in the picture below and it has unique hairy projections and a curly awn that actually help to corkscrew it into the soil with moisture.  At harvest it is almost impossible to distinguish from real oats until the seeds turn almost black. with drying.  

What can you do?  In a bermudagrass hay field now is
the time to apply a chemical control for all these grasses while the bermudagrass is dormant and these grasses are green.  If you are grazing cows then don't worry, they will be gone soon enough.