Spring Bumper Hay Crop Followed By Dry Fall In Arkansas
MARY HIGHTOWER
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Arkansas is expected to harvest more hay over more acres this year than last, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In its August Crop Production report, the National Agricultural Statistics Service said it expected Arkansas to harvest 1.26 million acres of non-alfalfa hay in 2025, up from 1.23 million acres in 2024. The estimated yield for 2025 was 3.024 million tons up from 2.583 million tons last year.
A rainy spring led to a bumper crop in Arkansas, said Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“Spring was very wet across Arkansas and a lot of fields were cut later for the cool-season grasses, and earlier for warm-season grasses,” he said.
“Delaying harvest timing increased the amount of hay present when it finally came time to cut,” Kubesch said. “A lot of fields had a lot of quantity, and in some places, quality was higher than expected. We appear to be accumulating hay in spring and not using up that supply in the fall or winter over the past two years.”
However, it’s not all smooth sailing for hay growers as Arkansas was facing increasingly drier conditions though late July and early August.
Drying out
Thursday’s U.S. Drought Monitor map showed the mildest drought conditions over 3.76 percent of Arkansas, while 64.79 percent of the state was listed as abnormally dry. Three months ago, none of the state was rated as abnormally dry or in drought.
“We find ourselves in a dry spell in pastures and hayfields,” said Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist for the Division of Agriculture.
“Bermudagrass stem maggot and armyworms are cutting into what's out there,” he said. “Hay inventory and quality are sufficient this year from earlier cuts. However, pasture condition has really deteriorated in the last week to 10 days.”
Kubesch said “good, cheap hay and dry weather may lead some folks to feed rather than try to stockpile or plant annuals around Labor Day.
“However, now is the time to be proactive: monitor pasture condition and avoid overgrazing. Leave a 4-inch stubble and keep the stand,” he said. “Rationing remaining pasture will be important if we stay in drought.”
Kubesch also said that now is the time to identify the best areas to feed hay.
“Low fertility areas or weaker pastures can be used as sacrifice lots and then renovated when rain eventually comes,” he said.
Prussic acid and nitrates
In addition to affecting forage growth, drought can have a more dangerous effect as stress prompts some plants to accumulate prussic acid or nitrates, which can be deadly to ruminants such as cattle, goats and sheep.
“Sorghum species such as johnsongrass and sorghum-sudangrass might be suspect for prussic acid or nitrate poisoning,” he said.
To develop an integrated drought plan, see MP530, “Drought Management and Recovery for Livestock Systems”. For more information about prussic acid and nitrates in forage, see FSA2069, “Prussic Acid.” And FSA 3024 “Nitrate Poisoning in Cattle.” ∆
MARY HIGHTOWER
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS