COMMODITY CORNER The scoop on green pastures during winter During the winter months, large pastures of bright green often dot the landscape across large portions of central and western Oklahoma. But why? hile much of Oklahoma may look rather bleak during the winter months between the wind chill, dreary and overcast days or the dormant native grasses, many people may wonder why there seems to be fields of green ‘grass’ as they drive down the highway. To some, the lush green pastures may look like grass from a distance, but to livestock producers in the central and western parts of the state, it is much more valuable than that. Often planted in mid-September, these patches of bright green dotted amongst expanses of brown native grasses are hard red winter wheat pastures. Because of the very few snow-covered days that could limit grazing compared to more northern states and the unique climate characteristics across the southern
Great Plains, roughly eight million acres of land are dedicated to growing hard red winter wheat across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas each year. A valuable source of fresh, high-quality forage during the winter months, some producers make winter wheat a dualpurpose crop. But what is a dual-purpose crop? Typically ready to graze on by midNovember, livestock – such as cattle and sheep – will go on to call these pastures home and grow for around 120 to 150 days before being removed just prior to the first hollow stem development. Simply, the first hollow stem occurs in spring just after the wheat has emerged from dormancy. Once the hollow stem has reached about 5/8-inch tall just below the developing head of the grain, producers
will let the crop continue to grow until it is ready to be harvested, usually around May. While it may be a valuable source of forage for livestock, it can also be worth a lot to producers. Valued at $478 million in 2020, hard red winter wheat grain production ranks fifth in value of commodities in the state, but this does not even include the value towards cattle production. Estimated to be worth a whopping $2.6 billion, the beef industry is by far Oklahoma agriculture’s most vauable sector. While hard red winter wheat may start off as a delicious meal for some hungry bovine, the final product is extremely versatile and will go on to produce delicious breads, hard rolls and croissants once harvested and milled.
DID YOU KNOW? While many plants go dormant or die off during the winter months, hard red winter wheat actually needs the cooler weather. Through a process known as vernalization, a seed must be exposed to temperatures ranging anywhere from 32 to 45 degrees Farenheit for at least three to six weeks. Without this exposure to cold weather, the seed head (where the grains are located) could be inconsistent, sparse or have delayed development. Sources: Oklahoma State University Extension, U.S. Wheat Associates, Michigan State University Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 10 — Oklahoma Country