Hail is a four-letter word that causes high anxiety.
Since the average first fall killing frost in Nebraska usually occurs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 10, the growing season is now over halfway with only 70-80 days remaining. So, replanting severely hailed corn or soybeans fields are likely not good options since even short-season corn hybrids need at least 80-90 days of growing days, and the shortest season maturity group soybeans need at least 80 days of growing season for economic yields.
Therefore, the best alternative options may be to move from a summer grain production mindset to possible forage options.
Assessing hail damage loss assessment is a challenge when losses vary based on stand reduction, direct damage and leaf defoliation. For those with insured crops, check with your insurance company prior to replanting, grazing or converting your severely hailed acres to another crop.
Next, review your herbicide labels for any restrictions regarding seeding new crops on hailed fields. Then, if forage production is still an option, consider planting warm-season annual forages in July or warm/cool-season forages in August.
Livestock producers may consider grazing hailed corn fields, where plants have been “mowed off” at ear height or lower. Consider grazing the stalks first and then planting a cool-season forage this fall after grazing. Again, consider any chemical label grazing restrictions based on previous chemically applied herbicides in the corn or soybean fields. In some cases, turnips or radishes can be drilled or broadcast into damaged cornstalks for fall grazing.
Regarding nitrates, manage the mid-season hailed corn fields similar to drought-stressed corn prior to ear development. Best practices include not turning cattle onto hailed cornstalks with an empty rumen, having plenty of fresh water available, allowing cattle to openly graze the fields and providing supplement hay or energy. Finally, avoid forcing the cattle to graze the hailed stalks below 8 inches in height.
Another option might be “teff” (a drought-resistant warm-season annual that can be harvested 45-55 days after planting). Sudangrass (not the hybrid) has high grazing potential with low prussic acid grazing risk. Pearl millet is drought tolerant and does not produce prussic acid either but has lower yield potential than “cane” forage sorghums and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids.
More information and free forage videos are available online at: cropwatch.unl.edu and beefwatch.unl.edu.— Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension educator
