What to seed for early pasture....

[perfecho]

a 30 acre piece is slated for seeding grass, however the lack of moisture is making me jittery. Was thinking of sowing a cereal to graze early, then plow down if moisture levels return to establish a good grass crop.
Any suggestions as to best cereal?

[WiltonRanch]

Fall rye, barley, turnips? Anything that grows fast.

[smcgrath76]

I am a big fan of oats. Underseed Alfalfa and/or vetch. When you put your grass in the alfalfa will have a start already.

[perfecho]

With the under seeding, does grazing it harm the grass? Would be seeding a pasture mix, not a hay mix.
Last few years have been less moisture during spring and more in late summer/fall...so thinking of grazing, then plow down then seed pasture mix in August or so...
Wilton.was just thinking of trying to find winter triticale...graze this year and have early next year...
Just going through options for grazing until a pasture blend can be sown...although during lower rainfall, cereals do seem to give more tonnage...s

[WiltonRanch]

Fall rye is a lot hardier and water use efficient. Besides it was generally cheaper and easier to find than the trit. However as a forage the trit is better quality.

[grassfarmer]

Was looking at some fancy smancy winter triticale seed - $15/bu, needless to say we are not using it. Pet peeve of mine currently is how greedy seed retailers have got, especially anything associated with "crop cocktails" because they are fashionable.

I'd be leery of planning to seed a crop before seeding grass mix later in the year perfecho. Historically spring moisture is the best to seed into. Your first crop is going to use water, then you'll lose moisture seeding the second crop and you'll not have much time to establish before next winter.

If it was me I'd set timelines - "if we don't have enough moisture to seed pasture mix by X date we seed an annual crop instead" chances are next year will have better spring moisture in your area, this is very abnormal. Too much money in a pasture mix to risk it I'd say, safer keeping it in the bag, preferably in the seed companies inventory.

[perfecho]

Yeah...actually have about 10 bags sitting from 2 years ago...hard to judge moisture these days. We seem to be in a pocket...think the seeding last August was good...time will tell, but seeded the fall before after I knew it wouldn't germinate...and that worked about 50%. Figure if I do a little at a time..I can't totally screw up...

[smcgrath76]

I tend to agree with GF depending on how the moisture turns in the next couple of weeks, although we have had really good luck seeding in late fall. Best if you don't graze a new stand although you can cut the annual crop early and let regrowth happen prior to winter (again moisture makes you look really smart or pretty dumb.
GF - your comment about seed retailers also applies in spades to equipment dealers as well. Apparently trades made in Canada were done in US dollars, so used inventory on the lot has jumped 25% plus. Maybe those items can sit there until the $ comes back up (LOL).