We are really impressed with the advantages UF-Riata has over other bahia grasses.
This year we took a seed crop in July, a hay crop in September and a hay crop in October before frost slowed it down.
It is easy to see the advantages of UF-Riata in the Spring and Fall. It is different from other Bahia grass because it is not photo period sensitive. What does that mean? Well researchers at the University of Florida found that bahia grass quits growing when the day length gets short. That is why sometime in September we see the old bahia grasses slow down and stop producing grass. Well UF-Riata isn’t like that. It wants to grow till frost and it wants to start growing as soon as the ground warms up in the Spring. We say most producer will gain 3-4 weeks of grazing in the Spring and 3-4 weeks of grazing in the fall. That is a lot of grazing! If you are cutting hay that could be two extra cuttings.
People are asking us how much to plant. You should be happy with 20 lbs. of seed per acre if you plant it on a good seed bed and do not plant it too deep and do a good job of dispersing the seed evenly. We planted one seed field in March and took a small seed crop off of it in September so with good moisture you should get a stand in the first year on spring planted seed. We have fall planted it and summer planted it. Each season presents different challenges. In the fall it is best to plant it early enough to get it past the 2 leaf stage before winter. This way the plant has more root system to get through the winter and to get an early start on Spring growth. When spring planting expect to have cool season weed competition. When planting in the summer beware of drought. Those tiny seedling plants will have a hard time surviving long dry spells in hot weather but if there is adequate moisture UF Riata really grows well planted in the summer.
Call me if you have any questions and check back from time to time. I hope to keep the blog up and current from now on.
What is the protein Level on the UF Riata
Protein levels of all plant vary depending on a lot of natural variables—fertility, life cycle stage at time of testing, ect. UF-Riatta is going to give cattlemen more quality grazing over the course of the year than would other bahia grasses because it simply grows longer. UF-Riatta, properly fertilized and maintained will provide several more weeks of quality grazing than other bahia grasses because it is not as photo period sensitive as the other grasses. It starts growing earlier in the Spring and doesn’t stop till frost.