E-fencing cereal grains?

[catscratch]

Any of you guys fence off a section of your rye or wheat to open up midwinter? I've often wondered if a patch that hadn't been eaten short already would be preferred this time of yr...

 

[OkieKubota]

Any of you guys fence off a section of your rye or wheat to open up midwinter? I've often wondered if a patch that hadn't been eaten short already would be preferred this time of yr...

A farmer about 6 miles from here plants WR and WW in a small field in front of his house next to a convenience store with lots of houses around so the deer don’t use it due to all the activity hence it grows like it would if their were no deer. He usually turns his calves in on it starting in January about 1 afternoon a week until about March for the greens I suppose...

 

[catscratch]

A farmer about 6 miles from here plants WR and WW in a small field in front of his house next to a convenience store with lots of houses around so the deer don’t use it due to all the activity hence it grows like it would if their were no deer. He usually turns his calves in on it starting in January about 1 afternoon a week until about March for the greens I suppose...

My dad run cattle on his dove/deer field from January through March. 30% crude protein cuts late winter feed bills.

My plots are still green and there is something to eat, but it's short. Some tonnage would be good, wondering if there is any preference.

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[Mennoniteman]

Cereal rye is my standby for winter deer food, so I put out enough of acres that I don't need fencing, and it really does not take a very big area for rye to outgrow deer grazing, an acre of rye will feed a lot of deer for most of the winter. From a distance my rye looks so short you'll think there's not much there anymore, but when you get a close up look it's several inches tall, and the deer are working it every day. The deer have nothing to do all day except eat, they have the time available needed to fill their stomachs on rye that's only 2" tall. Winter rye in cold climates is not going to have a lot of tonnage, fenced or not, but it's still there, available for grazing. Rye grows in the winter if temperatures go above 40 degrees, in a lot of winters in zone 6b we see enough of growth to offset most of the deer grazing pressure, it consistently maintains several inches of green above the soil.
I have mixed feelings about fencing. For someone without much land it's a good tool to preserve a small plot for the first day of hunting season. But for larger properties I'd rather adapt my program and have our wildlife in a natural unfenced setting. Planting some different plots such as oats, rye, brassica, chicory and clover that can handle heavy grazing is one solution to avoiding fencing, and maintaining reasonable DPSM population controls would be another.

 

[catscratch]

Cereal rye is my standby for winter deer food, so I put out enough of acres that I don't need fencing, and it really does not take a very big area for rye to outgrow deer grazing, an acre of rye will feed a lot of deer for most of the winter. From a distance my rye looks so short you'll think there's not much there anymore, but when you get a close up look it's several inches tall, and the deer are working it every day. The deer have nothing to do all day except eat, they have the time available needed to fill their stomachs on rye that's only 2" tall. Winter rye in cold climates is not going to have a lot of tonnage, fenced or not, but it's still there, available for grazing. Rye grows in the winter if temperatures go above 40 degrees, in a lot of winters in zone 6b we see enough of growth to offset most of the deer grazing pressure, it consistently maintains several inches of green above the soil.
I have mixed feelings about fencing. For someone without much land it's a good tool to preserve a small plot for the first day of hunting season. But for larger properties I'd rather adapt my program and have our wildlife in a natural unfenced setting. Planting some different plots such as oats, rye, brassica, chicory and clover that can handle heavy grazing is one solution to avoiding fencing, and maintaining reasonable DPSM population controls would be another.

Just curious if "fresh" cereals would be a preferred winter food source. My current plots are a mix of awnless wheat, rye, oats, alfalfa, chicory, and 4 varieties of clover. The plots are currently keeping up with use and are a couple of inches tall. I don't hunt my plots so that isn't a consideration. I've never heard of anyone doing the exclusion fence with these plants (beans yes, cereals no), wonder if a person might see a difference in use by stockpiling.

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[THE LLC]

Rye and wheat do better if grazed by deer and kept from getting “stemmy”. So, my feeling is that it’s best to keep under continuous grazing so “fresh” growth is always present.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Rye and wheat do better if grazed by deer and kept from getting “stemmy”. So, my feeling is that it’s best to keep under continuous grazing so “fresh” growth is always present.

If grain is planted too early and starts getting too tough for deer grazing a timely mowing fixes that problem very easily. The option of mowing to rejuvenate stemmy grains allows me to get my fall plot cereal grains out early as insurance against drought, and getting winter rye out early allows it to develop a bigger root system which makes for better winter growth. Mowing rye in mid September to control it is not uncommon for me.

Just curious if "fresh" cereals would be a preferred winter food source. My current plots are a mix of awnless wheat, rye, oats, alfalfa, chicory, and 4 varieties of clover. The plots are currently keeping up with use and are a couple of inches tall. I don't hunt my plots so that isn't a consideration. I've never heard of anyone doing the exclusion fence with these plants (beans yes, cereals no), wonder if a person might see a difference in use by stockpiling.

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Anytthing green is trump for winter deer food, and rye is the only green thing in the fields in PA during the winter.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Deer are pouring out of the woods like flies. 12 out tonight eating rye in this one field alone.

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[MN Slick]

If grain is planted too early and starts getting too tough for deer grazing a timely mowing fixes that problem very easily. The option of mowing to rejuvenate stemmy grains allows me to get my fall plot cereal grains out early as insurance against drought, and getting winter rye out early allows it to develop a bigger root system which makes for better winter growth. Mowing rye in mid September to control it is not uncommon for me.

Anytthing green is trump for winter deer food, and rye is the only green thing in the fields in PA during the winter.

When do you typically plant your rye?

 

[catscratch]

I had neither considered mowing cereal's or planting too early to develop a stronger root system. Both are intriguing ideas.

We've never had deer avoid a wheat field no matter how early it was planted. It's always been my assumption that wheat requires a cold cycle (winter) before it bolted and become stemmy or tough. A massive root system certain should support more growth during those random warm weeks during the winter. I really like that idea! I may have to plant early next year, leave some alone, mow some, and efence some to be released in Jan or Feb... just to satisfy some curiosity.

 

[Mennoniteman]

When do you typically plant your rye?

Zone 6b, I plant from early August to Labor day, anytime after the mid-summer heat is over. The rye I plant early looks the best in midwinter. I plant brassicas in the same time frame, earlier than most guys. I plant turnips and radishes in mid June some years, these fields last much better in cold weather.

 

[farmhunter]

Our deer turn off the rye if the snowpack is too much. must be the effort to benefit ratio isn't there. They will go to turnips first. I'd like to say the deer use the rye when the snow melts back enough - but it just doesn't get melted off that often until March - and then - it really doesn't get much use - suprisingly - not like I'd expect - they go to the clover melting out.

they love the rye early and into December. I love the rye to plant with my clovers.

 

[MarkDarvin]

I've planted rye as early as 90 days before first frost. That was the first year I grew barley/cowpeas/buckwheat as a spring blend. My cowpeas and buckwheat were dealt with quickly by the deer and turkey. I just had barley left, and it was fully headed out. I didn't want it to set viable seed, so I threw my rye into the standing barley and bush hogged it down (July 1st). The rye got to maybe 8 or 10" by the time frost rolled around. It stayed green and palatable all the way to when it got buried in snow. That was the only food I had left come November, and the deer were in it every single sit.

Any chance for adding acres Cat? Maybe some bale grazing to create some openings?

 

[catscratch]

I've planted rye as early as 90 days before first frost. That was the first year I grew barley/cowpeas/buckwheat as a spring blend. My cowpeas and buckwheat were dealt with quickly by the deer and turkey. I just had barley left, and it was fully headed out. I didn't want it to set viable seed, so I threw my rye into the standing barley and bush hogged it down (July 1st). The rye got to maybe 8 or 10" by the time frost rolled around. It stayed green and palatable all the way to when it got buried in snow. That was the only food I had left come November, and the deer were in it every single sit.

Any chance for adding acres Cat? Maybe some bale grazing to create some openings?

I've already added some acreage this winter, and I use bale grazing often to seed some stuff in the pastures (it's so easy it hard not to do it). Adding more wheat wouldn't be a problem as I have the space to add as much as I could possibly want. But, with the plots I already have it's still a couple of inches tall so it's isn't exactly not enough. My curiosity factor lies with ungrazed vs grazed preference mid winter. You can take a herd of cattle that is on good grass and open the gate for a rotation and they will kick/hop/run to the new pasture with glee in their eyes... even though it's basically the same thing you are taking them off of.

 

[MarkDarvin]

I've already added some acreage this winter, and I use bale grazing often to seed some stuff in the pastures (it's so easy it hard not to do it). Adding more wheat wouldn't be a problem as I have the space to add as much as I could possibly want. But, with the plots I already have it's still a couple of inches tall so it's isn't exactly not enough. My curiosity factor lies with ungrazed vs grazed preference mid winter. You can take a herd of cattle that is on good grass and open the gate for a rotation and they will kick/hop/run to the new pasture with glee in their eyes... even though it's basically the same thing you are taking them off of.

Have you thought about mixing in some spring wheat? I wonder if that wouldn't give you a tonnage boost @ a 20% rate or so. I know you've mentioned oats don't really get up and going for ya. (Might even throw some forage barley in the mix for fall).

 

[catscratch]

Have you thought about mixing in some spring wheat? I wonder if that wouldn't give you a tonnage boost @ a 20% rate or so. I know you've mentioned oats don't really get up and going for ya. (Might even throw some forage barley in the mix for fall).

There you go with those crazy ideas again. Next thing I know you'll be telling me I need to add gypsum and boron to my clovers to get them more palatable, or maybe I should have more diverse plots, or that I should spend some time focusing on native plants and making them more appealing. I don't know... maybe need to give some of these things a better try.

 

[MarkDarvin]

There you go with those crazy ideas again. Next thing I know you'll be telling me I need to add gypsum and boron to my clovers to get them more palatable, or maybe I should have more diverse plots, or that I should spend some time focusing on native plants and making them more appealing. I don't know... maybe need to give some of these things a better try.

We're peeling back a very large onion.

I'm excited to try barley in the fall. It'd be interesting to see some side by side of non-headed oats and soft dough barley. I don't know if I"m good enough to time that, but I'm certainly gonna try. Now, to see if I can figure out how to do pumpkins, annual clover, and barley together...

 

[KSQ2]

How early are you considering planting Cat? I would think an earlier planting could really benefit the new clover too, IF the weather cooperated. I wonder how often it would need to be mowed, to keep it from getting unpalatable later.

 

[catscratch]

How early are you considering planting Cat? I would think an earlier planting could really benefit the new clover too, IF the weather cooperated. I wonder how often it would need to be mowed, to keep it from getting unpalatable later.

No clue about how often it would need mowed. Figure I can watch and gauge usage as I go.
It's hard for me to plant early. We can go August and Sept without a rain, and with temps over 90 it makes for tough throw n mow...

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[dogghr]

Once upon a time, in a forum far far away was fellow that advocated planting Rye early summer and swore deer fed on the mature tops that stood thru his 2 ft of snow thru his northern winters. Made for some very argumentive reading, but always found it an interesting perspective and even then in all fairness he was doing the throw and mow back then that now many of us do these days. Maybe it doesn’t need fenced, maybe it doesn’t need to be new growth, maybe he was on to something, I’ve never tested his theory except to allow WR and WW replant itself each summer for fall feed saving cost and sweat of a replanting. Just throwing this out there for consideration.