As the mercury starts pushing towards the top of the thermometer and the rains seem to be farther and fewer between, many Missouri producers start looking for mid-summer grazing options.

One of the best options, according to Mark Green, Natural Resources Conservation Service district conservationist, Springfield, Mo., is to establish warm season grasses in a grazing program.

“Warm season grasses make 100 percent of their growth during the summer months,” Green told visitors at the recent Warm Season Grass Field Day, which was held at the Bohmont Ranch, near Sparta, Mo.

In addition to being good producers in the summer, warm season grasses are highly palatable to livestock and, if managed properly, can complement cool season pastures.

Green reminded producers of the advantages of warm season grasses in a grazing program, however, he also said that not all species exactly match.

“You don’t want to plant a lot of different varieties of warm season grasses together in one pasture due to their different growth periods,” he explained.

According to him, big bluestem and Indiangrass make a good combination for grazing because their growth curves are close.

“If you are going to plant a mixture of warm season grasses this is the best option,” he said. “The growth will come on in June and last until mid-September.”

“Other warm season grass varieties work best if they are planted by themselves,” Green said.

“Switchgrass, which is not always my favorite for pastures, comes on in mid-May, when cool season pastures are growing good,” Green explained. “Switchgrass works best if it is planted by itself.”

When looking at Eastern Gamagrass, Green feels it comes on a little early to fill the summer slump.

Green said that Caucasian Bluestem is another good warm season grass option when planted by itself.

“Caucasian lasts into September, like bermuda,”he said. “This is, in most cases, still a hot, dry time for us, so it makes a good pasture option.”

Green feels that some producers don’t plant warm season grasses because they think they are hard to get established.

“If you want to replace an existing fescue pasture it is going to take some work but it can be done,” Green said.