Pasture Grass Varieties in Central Texas | Regenerative Ranching

The foundation of regenerative ranching is grass production. Without grass, we can’t establish and feed the soul microbiome nor feed our cattle. We have 4 principal grass types that we graze on our operation in central Texas. This video describes these types of forage and outlines the pros and cons of each from my perspective as a grass farmer.
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[@cadenlear4644]

Just found your Chanel and I’m here to stay! Love it I’m a rancher in California 😀

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

What part of California? I did my surgery residency in Davis, California!

[@cadenlear4644]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher Covelo small town in the mountains northeast of willits!

[@charmainevandiford6622]

You never lost your teaching ability. I can definitely tell you love to teach. Might be why I enjoy watching you Chanel.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I’m teaching every day. That’s what we do!😃

[@hart796]

Great grass update

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you 😊

[@Ad_Astra_321]

Great information! Thanks & all the best from Australia =)

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Glad you are here! Thanks for watching!

[@allenmeinhold7038]

All your videos are full of great information that's very helpful no matter what part of this great country you may be from, Thank you Sir!!! Butch Ashland Ohio

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thanks Butch!!

[@bronzearmy2645]

Today, I found out that my pastures are full of what’s known as Bahia grass. Thanks!

[@ericbradley4204]

Great video Cliff, thanks for the info. We are starting from scratch on our farm in North Central Texas turning corn fields back to grass one step at a time. It's really helpful to see other like mided people like yourself putting these methods into practice closer to home. Keep up the great content!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you! One step at a time! Worth every step!!

[@gmathis4829]

Nice to Watch your Channel Content!!!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you! I’m learning as I go!

[@gmathis4829]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher DVM and you're just learning as you go?? LOL

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Learning every day lol 😂

[@ronaldclemons5520]

Your cows are looking really good. Moving regularly makes a big difference.Thank you for sharing🙂

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

👌🏼👌🏼

[@splashdown50]

Thank you for posting. Beautiful ranch. I'm in upper part of South Georgia and learning to do regenerative ranching which so far seems pretty challenging on coastal bemuda and Pensacola bahaia...I'm trying to determine what stage/height of bahaia to leave as stockpile to graze on during winter.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I’m trying to figure that out too! Let me know what you think as you sort things out.

[@HeritageFarmsTexas]

Hello, new follower here. We are in North Texas. I’m in the process of land clearing and trying to decide what to plant this spring.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I think the best place to start is to ask knowledgeable neighbors/ranchers what warm season grasses grow best in your area. If there is an agronomy department where you buy feed, ask them as well. Bermuda grass should do ok as will Bahia, but neighbor advice (from multiple neighbors) will likely be the best advice.

[@thomasgrawunder3258]

Great informative video! Contemplating purchasing a few acres in snook but the ground needs work

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

That’s the fun part!

[@thomasgrawunder3258]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher you are right if I had the equipment. Do you know anyone around the area that does that?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

What do you need done?

[@thomasgrawunder3258]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher I’m not 100% sure. I would think disc and harrow, and then sprigg

[@sacajun934]

This is a great video. Thank you Cliff. Greg Judy always talks about unrolling hay to get grass going. Is that an option in your area? We don't get the rain in TX like G. Judy does. Will the the sprig grasses choke out any seeding grasses and take over? Have you seen one type of runner push out the others?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I started unrolling hay this year. The result is absolutely amazing. The uneaten hay decomposes and the Bermuda grass really grows aggressively with the extra fertility. We actually get about the same amount of rain here as Greg Judy does in Missouri. I was astounded when I googled it. The sprigged grasses can choke out any seeded grasses like rye and clover but I have clover starting to explode in the spring before the Bermuda wakes up to grow. Still figuring that part out. I planted Ball clover and it does well in our soils. I have not seen one type push out the other but I will tell you that I think Tifton 85 spreads the fastest. Great questions! Thanks

[@blacrodfly1901]

Yes great video. I’m acquiring land in Hubbard Tx and looking to rebuild my pasture after it being leased to the neighbor who ran 6 cattle for the last 3 years. Would you have a recommendation on what grass to seed for future pasture raised sheep, goat, and chickens?

[@kfvernon73]

Great content! Do you have all 4 throughout your pastures for rotation or did you create specific pasture perimeters for each grass you planted and rotate your herd through each grass based on season and their preference as you explain?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I have 5 permanent pastures that are perimeter fenced. One is 100% Bahia, 2 have a combination of Bahia and Coastal Bermuda, one is predominately Jiggs Bermuda, and one pasture has the 6 acres of Tifton and the rest is Coastal and Bahia. So in most pastures, I will try and time the rotation to make the best use of palatability and plan my paddocks accordingly.

[@michaelwooding291]

I very much like your thoughtful approach to ranching, hardly a surprise given your profession. A video on carcass quality from regenerative farming practices in the future would be welcome, obviously your herd genetics will affect this significantly. Not meaning to sound ghoulish but It is after all the final product.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you for watching! Stay tuned!

[@thelivingfaithfulhomeschoo9906]

This is a fantastic video. I’m outside of college station and trying to regenerate our acreage. What are your thoughts on rye, Texas blue grass and fescue varieties as well as planting some of these with the varieties you mentioned? Also, the varieties you mentioned would be ok for sheep and other livestock too?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you for watching! The only fescue that may grow here is Chisolm (a variety developed in Oklahoma). I would try a sack of that but our summers may not be hospitable for most other varieties. I don’t know anything about Texas Blue. Other commenters have said that sheep won’t eat Bahia well, so I don’t know.

[@raybornclark8617]

if you like the Pensacola Bahia you will probably love the Tifton 9 Bahia, i have both and the Tifton 9 outperforms the Pensacola grass....the only thing is if the bahia gets ahead of the cows we either mow the tops out of it or cut and bale it for winter feeding....

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I will look into it!!

[@LewisRenovation]

Are you near Brenham? Nice place. We have 50 acres of WW B Dahl and love the stuff. How did those Brahmas sneak into your herd?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

We are an hour from Brenham. My neighbor has a pet Brahma that he promised his grandson he would keep. He lets me graze his place, in exchange, I run his 4 cows with mine.

[@robemmert7334]

From other videos, you broke down 24 paddocks 3 days each for a 72 day rotation. Rough estimates are that this allows for 1.4 acres per cow, moisture permitting and we did have a couple dry spells. I'm interested when we enter the cooler season as grass growth starts to slow, if the rotations will require more frequency? Also if you have already purchased rolls of hay for insurance through January / February? If so is it 20-30lbs per head or less since they still have some forage? Has the Rope seemed to hold up to the UV and last more than 1-2 years?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

The poly braid is holding up well. I have limited winter pasture and it typically doesn’t add much grazing till March/April. I will supplement the standing grass with some protein till the forage runs out (typically runs out in January). I do have hay that I have brought in from outside sources. I purchased 150 rolls from a client and I baled 100 rolls on property next to my equine hospital. When feeding hay, an adult cow eats 3% of her body weight per day.

[@tylerrmclean]

Im starting a ranch in central texas and this was a great informational video. I do have a question, do you worry about one specific type of grass overtaking another? Or have you found that they co mingle well and do not compete to the point where one grass dominates?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Bahia can definitely overtake the Bermuda grasses. It’s a slow creep and really hasn’t affected my Bermuda grass stands but Bahia is very hardy.

[@sleepersix]

I'm starting a ranch in central texas too. How is yours going?

[@jpp9876]

Have you any paddocks with both Bermuda and bahia grasses? I am curious if a deeper rooted grass will preserve moisture in the soil for a more shallow rooted grass. Water has that molecular attraction to itself. Also does anyone ever cut in a small amount alfalfa into their pastures? I am more of an ornamental turf guy, this is new to me.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Yes, I have pastures with both. The Bermuda is much deeper rooted and definitely does better in drought conditions. I have thought about alfalfa. My next project is to get a no till drill so I can start testing some of that.

[@Velacreations]

what is the most cost effective way to deal with the yaupon and cedar underbrush? I've been using a skid steer with a shredder, and it works well, but it's slow. Goats are good for keeping it from coming back.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I don’t have a cost effective way. If you do it by hand, it’s exhausting and slow as you said. Goats help but have their own set of issues. We decided to save our money and hire a guy with a track hoe and dozer. We did it in small acreage amounts as we were able. Took several several years but it was worth the wait.

[@thesmiths629]

I'd like to chime in here on goats. Mine eat the yaupon last, sporadically and reluctantly. We're still having to hand clear after rotating them through the woodlands. I'm hoping they'll help kill it out in years to come as the new growth comes up in tender new growth.

[@aaronharris7975]

Cliff, I am new to ranching in the south (original from PA). Some of my neighbors told me that Bahia grass is bad and that I won't be able to grow other legumes or grasses because of how thick it gets. They also say it doesn't stockpile in the winter. Right now I have alfalfa in with my costal and Kline grass. There are areas that are always wet and sandy in the brazos bottom. Thats why i was gonna plant Bahia. Thoughts? I'm in Bryan, TX.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

They are correct in that a thick stand of Bahia is a definite matt of grass. Less thick stands will allow other species in the mix. It does not stock pile worth a darn. I’m in Bryan as well. Come visit and we can chat.

[@yoopermann7942]

would sheep eat those grasses after the cattle? thank you for the tips and info

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I don’t know enough about sheep to give you a knowledgeable answer. Maybe someone else can chime in.

[@iconholdings2322]

cliff , i had a lot of Bahia grass on my place, i was told by my vet it would cut two productive years off my cows. grass so tough it would wear out their teeth earlier. i would image you know a few in college station, ask them if that is correct?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I suppose that could be true but I don’t know. I typically cull the older cows at 12-14 and they seem to hold their condition just fine which makes me assume their teeth are ok. I must admit, I haven’t looked to see. I just recently culled two cows that were 18 and their condition was still great.

[@kylebrumfield3515]

Do you cover crop anything for winter or just feed hay?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I have a pretty good stand of Ball clover that is slowly spreading and I’m planting Blackhawk Arrowleaf clover. Also broadcasting different types of rye grass.

[@thesmiths629]

What is your experience or opinion on native grasses? Why are these invasive grasses considered improved pasture? Growth rates, hardiness, nutrition levels? And how should I decide how long to let a pasture rest to be most ideal?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I have a lot of experience with native grasses in Southern Arizona. That’s all we have in the high grasslands at 3600 feet elevation. Mostly Gama grasses but an array of others as well. Excellent forage and what is suited for that climate. The grasses I have here won’t grow in Arizona because of inadequate rainfall. The grasses I have in the video, do very well in our soils which are mostly sandy loam. The fertility of these soils is quite poor but the grasses in the video grows quite well if fertility is enhanced (either chemical fertilizer or chicken litter or unrolling hay etc). I am unrolling hay to increase fertility. These grasses grow a lot of tonnage per acre and are therefore excellent for grazing increased numbers of animals on smaller acreage amounts. For instance, 1 animal unit in southern Arizona was 40 acres/cow per year. On my pastures here, I am at about 1.5-2 acres per year per animal unit with these grasses. How long to let a pasture rest depends on rainfall, temperature, location in the country etc. The easiest thing to look at is the tips of the grass leaves. When the tips are pointed again, the grass is fully recovered. In my location, this is typically 30-45 days.

[@thesmiths629]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher thank you so much. That's the best answer I've been able to get so far. I'm new to the world of grass identification, and learning the nutritional values at each stage of growth. This is all very exciting to me though. I have goats for now, but as they clear and fertilize the woodlands I hope to be ready for a milk cow in a few years.

[@thehuntersight7548]

Does Bahia do well during hot, dry summers compared to the bermuda grass?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

It does very well. Stays green when Bermuda goes brown and dormant. Much more drought tolerant.

[@quailjailss]

Do you know of any sheep people near you?? Do you hear what they’re grazing their sheep on in TX? I’m trying to find people that graze Bermuda and Bahia. My sheep won’t touch either of it

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I don’t know of any sheep in our area. I don’t see any on any of my trips around the state that I remember. Tough climate for sheep.

[@quailjailss]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher gotcha! There are hair sheep all over TX, but I’m just not sure what they are grazing lol

[@keenansimmons7695]

Great video. Could you provide me with contact info for the business that rolls the sprigs once they dig them?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Hi Keenan, I assume you are in Texas. Email me at [e-mail] and we can chat.

[@Exploregen]

What do you have for cool weather forage?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I have Ball clover that is well established in one pasture and has a foothold in 2 more pastures. I also have Blackhawk Arrowleaf clover that is starting to make a showing. I have some ryegrass but am working on improving that.

[@thehuntersight7548]

Those post oaks are susceptible to dying when roots ran over during dozing work. Some post oaks can take up to 7 years before they die after you have dozed. Between that stress, the drought, and the wilt you lose more trees than you want for sure.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

You are exactly right. The moral is save more trees then you think you want.

[@richardmeyer6021]

Where did you get your Jiggs sprigs from?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Sorry for the delay….a local ranch digs the sprigs and we purchase from him.

[@MrGoodtime1301]

Do you have to sprig the bahia?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

No, you plant seeds.

[@MrGoodtime1301]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher thank you

[@robertzehm]

Any native grasses that you like?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I haven’t found any native grasses that do well here. Still looking for

[@gcranch9913]

Do you ever aerate your pastures?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

No, I don’t. This soil is a sandy loam and it doesn’t compact at all.

[@jesusalvarez2837]

Hello sir, I have property in Streetman TX (Corsicana area) what type of grass do you recommend for my cattle?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

What kind of soil do you have?

[@danmiller4774]

Do you have any legume in your pasture

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Yes sir, I do. I have Ball clover, Blackhawk Arrowleaf clover, and added Zulu Arrowleaf clover this last Fall. All was broadcast and have a pretty good stand in the spring.

[@nukalavenkatreddy2749]

Mr. cliff / I am from india. my native weather is jest like texas . so kindly sey the best grasses for sheeps and cowes fram

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

My daughter visited India recently. She really liked it there!

[@coziii.1829]

Cant you have a mixture of grasses and so called weeds

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

You can and we do to some extent but in this region, the weeds take over and compete for water and fertility and markedly are detrimental to the grass stand.