A dry fall followed by repeated cold snaps stalled cool‑season forage growth across the Southeast, exposing vulnerabilities even in normally resilient systems.

In conversations with colleagues working in extension as well as with livestock and land managers around the country, we observed that particular assumptions and buzz words arise frequently and can dominate discussions in the realm of grazing management.

Discussing grazing management can easily be just as problematic as other controversial topics such as politics, religion and sports. Everyone has a style, “mine is better than yours” and “this is the right way.”

Corn silage is often the main feed source for dairy production systems. However, annual cool-season forages can be a viable option for merging forage production and nutrient management during the “off season.”