What would you do with more pasture grass? Pasture weed control boosts forage production and unlocks opportunities. “Grow a pound of weeds, lose a pound of grass. Control a pound of weeds, gain a pound or more of usable forage. It really is that simple,” says Corteva Agriscience Range & Pasture field scientist Jodie Crose, Ph.D. And while an extra pound of grass may not sound like much, those pounds add up, usually doubling to tripling forage in trials. “If forage production is the goal, any plant that isn’t adding to the forage production in that pasture is competing with the other forage species that are,” Crose explains. “That’s why pasture weed control is one of the primary tactics to consider when trying to optimize pasture production.” Consider, for example, potential added grazing days gained simply by removing low-value, undesirable plants: • In a continuous grazing system, pasture weed control efforts can extend the grazing season by up to 30 days. • In a rotational grazing system, pasture weed control efforts can extend the grazing season by up to 45 days. The above scenarios assume implementation of an e ective broadleaf weed control program in a pasture that previously had 30% of its’ dry matter in weed pressure. But, Wait, There’s More. “There have been many studies over the years that have shown the value of removing undesirable pasture plants for increased production of desirable species,” Crose says. “But one of the best methods we’ve found for increasing pasture production involves a combination of weed control and fertilization all in one.” UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed does just that. Corteva trials show forage production increased to 5.5 tons per acre when treated with a herbicide compared with only 2.3 tons per acre when no herbicide was applied. “That’s a 133% increase in grass yield potential for livestock to benefit from,” Crose explains. She also notes that environmental factors will play a role in forage production each year. What would you do with up to 133% more grass in your pastures? • Increase carrying capacity? Expand the herd without adding acres. • Extend the grazing season? Shorten the hay-feeding season. • Reduce reliance on purchased feed? Grazed forage is your lowest-cost feed source. • Stockpile more standing forage? Provide low-cost winter grazing. • Put up more hay? Buy less winter feed; sell extra hay; or establish a drought reserve. • Rent fewer acres? Make existing acres more productive. The bottom line? More grass means greater flexibility and opportunity for your cattle operation. \\ No matter how you look at it, forage production is a foundation to a successful cattle operation. This is especially evident in years with heavy precipitation. It’s easy to complain about the problems rain can cause, but nobody complains about a healthy, green pasture. // Jodie Crose Learn more about maximizing pasture production and calculate your potential herbicide return on investment at RangeAndPasture.com/GrassProfitability.
Growing more grass
with 90% grass and not nearly as much weed competition. “We dropped the weed count by enacting pasture rotation where cattle had to eat what they were given in the space they were in,” Jackson says. “We split fields into four increments and rotated cattle to keep grass in the growing stage and keep weeds from producing seed heads. We also sprayed the whole farm with GrazonPD3 herbicide and it did a really good job controlling the broadleaf weeds.” The first spring, Jackson says, they needed to spray the whole farm, but by the following year, he was able to be more selective and spot-spray with DuraCor® herbicide. “When you double the herd size and you don’t reseed or spray the pastures to eliminate the weed coverage, you don’t get the full potential the land can offer,” Jackson says. “We’re almost at the point where we have more grass than our cattle can graze.” In the future, Jackson plans to use NovaGraz™ herbicide to preserve white clover and its soil fertility benefits. “If I could keep all the white clover and get rid of thistles, my day would be made,” Jackson says. “To us, white clover and legumes are important to our cattle nutrition in the pastures and the health of the fields.” Jackson is proud of the growing facilities at Golden Age Farm and he credits the pasture improvement to collaboration with local Extension agents and his local retail cooperative, who in turn works with the Corteva Range & Pasture Specialist in that area. “You don’t have to have world-renowned facilities to be able to do this,” Jackson shares. “You just have to set goals, make a step-by-step process and follow the steps that work for you. Not every process works for everybody, so be open-minded.” For more photos and pasture improvement ideas, visit RangeAndPasture.com/GoldenAgeFarm.
means greater flexibility and opportunity for your cattle operation.
Remove Weeds to Grow the Herd
Golden Age Farm uses herbicides and rotational grazing to drop weed counts and double the herd size. With rolling hills of abundant green-grass pastures settled on a limestone basin, Golden Age Farm will catch the attention of anyone passing by. Mixes of orchardgrass, ryegrass, winter wheat and valuable legumes command the landscape and feed Wagyu cattle on the Lexington, Kentucky, farm. Evaluating what’s beneath the soil, though, set in motion a series of pasture improvements that make Golden Age Farm what it is today. Within six months of arriving at the farm, manager Chris Jackson doubled the herd size to about 400 head by analyzing soil samples and implementing pasture weed control and intensive grazing. \\ People notice that the farm is a lot greener earlier in the spring. Even with the dry summers we’ve had, people make comments like ‘Wow, the farm’s greener and you’re grazing longer into the fall. // Chris Jackson The main pasture management goal at the farm is to be as close to weed-free as possible so the grass, in turn, works for the operation. The initial soil samples showed the acres were made up of 60% to 70% grass compared with weeds. After two years of intensive management, those fields are filled
Chris Jackson manages Golden Age Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Orchardgrass, ryegrass, winter wheat and valuable legumes dominate this farm’s landscape.
34 ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. GrazonPD3 ™ is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Under normal field conditions, DuraCor ® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. Consult the label for full details. White clover and annual lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) but recover. Not all products are are registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. GrazonPD3 is not for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York State. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.
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Service mark of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. UltiGraz with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.
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