With dry subsoils and pastures weakened by several years of drought, rowing extra forage this spring might be wise. I think oats could be more important than ever this spring.
I like oats for several reasons. First, oats can be grazed earlier than anything else you plant this spring, often ready about a month after planting. It grows during cool spring weather when we are most likely to receive some rain and when soil moisture is used most efficiently to produce forage. So risk is low and seed is relatively cheap. Plus, you can use oats several ways.
If you don't need the grazing, make hay that's ideal for young livestock by cutting when oats just begin to head out. Or you can increase yield by about one-third and cut oats in the milk stage for hay that's excellent for stock cows.
If you get lucky and receive enough rain so that neither hay or pasture are needed, you still can cut oats for grain and straw. Or, oats planted under irrigation can be grazed or cut for hay early enough to permit double cropping to soybeans or a summer annual forage crop or even to corn for silage.
Drill about 3 bushels per acre as soon as possible and oats will be 6 to 8 inches tall and ready to graze in early May. With good soil moisture and 30 to 60 pounds of nitrogen, oats can provide a couple months of grazing for 1 or 2 cows per acre.
You probably need a cheap and reliable temporary feed source this year. Oats probably is your best option.
