Forage Establishment, Management, and Utilization Fundamentals

It is critical for managers to understand the basic fundamental differences of managing introduced and rangeland forages. In the eastern part of Texas, introduced species dominate forage-based livestock production systems. As you move west of the IH35 corridor from Denton to San Antonio and then west of IH37 from San Antonio to Corpus Christi, however, you will notice few introduced species are used, with the exception of some irrigated acreage. This is primarily due to the lack of moisture, although temperature has a contributing effect. Native plant communities, known as rangelands, have developed and dominate these more arid regions. While the management of introduced forages demands appropriate grazing management, fertilizer inputs, and more frequent use of herbicides, good grazing management and prescribed fire alone generally represent the management strategies for rangelands. The information in this publication should aid in improving the potential for success of forage production and management of introduced species and rangelands. Where management strategies are different, they will be noted in the text. Adaptation Not all forage species will grow well on all soils or in all parts of the state. The person in charge of establishment should determine whether or not the forage species under consideration is adapted to the site. Of primary importance is moisture availability and moisture holding capacity of the soil. Some forage species have higher moisture requirements or less cold tolerance than others. In Texas, there is a moisture gradient in the state (Fig. 1) as you travel from east to west. Southeast Texas may receive 55" or more of precipitation on an annual basis, central Texas 24” to 36", and the panhandle and trans-Pecos regions only 8” to 15".