From Grass to Gains: Why Stockpiling Bahiagrass Pays Off

In the southeastern U.S., cattle producers are continually seeking sustainable grazing strategies that will support their cattle herd for a greater number of days and into the winter months.  One method producers use to extend the grazing season is forage stockpiling. This practice involves suspending the use of a grazed pasture for a period to allow the accumulation of the forage in the fall until a killing frost. Stockpiling ensures that there is enough mature pasture available to support the cattle herd, ideally for a month or more, bridging the gap until cool-season forages are grazable and reducing the reliance on supplemental feeds and hay.  

We conducted a two-year on-farm demonstration evaluating the nutritive value and yield of stockpiled bahiagrass across two Alabama locations and stockpiling seasons. In 2023, forage yield in Montgomery County differed significantly from that in St. Clair County (Table 1). The St. Clair producer applied 60 lb N/ac of nitrogen at the onset of stockpiling and stocked fewer cattle (3 head/ac), which likely contributed to greater forage yield and plant height. While no significant differences were observed between locations for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), or total digestible nutrients (TDN); crude protein (CP) was significantly higher in Montgomery (Table 2). This may be attributed to the Montgomery forage remaining in a more vegetative state, whereas bahiagrass at the St. Clair site was more mature and undergrazed.

In 2024, both locations experienced warmer fall temperatures and reduced rainfall during the early stockpiling period. Unlike the previous year, the St. Clair site did not receive fertilizer, and as a result, forage yield was not significantly different between the two locations (Table 1). NDF was significantly higher in Montgomery, indicating reduced dry matter intake potential due to elevated fiber content. ADL levels were also higher in Montgomery, suggesting an increased proportion of indigestible material that can negatively impact forage digestibility. Additionally, TDN were significantly higher in St. Clair, while CP concentrations were greater in Montgomery (Table 2). These findings emphasize how both environmental factors and fertility management influence the yield and quality of stockpiled bahiagrass.

Stockpiling forages provides a cost-effective strategy for winter feeding by reducing the need for hay and supplements while supporting cattle performance. A comparison of feeding systems shows that stockpiled Tifton 85 bermudagrass costs $174.18 per cow, whereas feeding hay and whole cottonseed costs $506.53 per cow, which is nearly three times more (Carol et al., 2022). The higher cost of providing harvested forages is due to expenses of hay, supplements, labor, and machinery (Table 3). In contrast, stockpiling relies on pasture management, with lower input costs aside from nitrogen fertilization and grazing setup. Although this data is based on bermudagrass, similar economic benefits are expected with stockpiled bahiagrass

Table 1. Forage yield (lb DM/ac) and forage heights (in) of stockpiled bahiagrass grown in Montgomery County, AL and St. Clair County, AL

Table 2. Nutritive values (% DM basis) of stockpiled bahiagrass grown in Montgomery County, AL and St. Clair County, AL

Table 3. Comparison of stockpiled Tifton 85 Bermudagrass and Hay and Cottonseed Supplementation on Cow-Calf Winter Feeding

Hurst, Ashlyn, Kim Mullenix, Leanne Dillard, and Josh Elmore. “From Grass to Gains: Why Stockpiling Bahiagrass Pays Off.” Southern Ag Today 5(22.2). May 27, 2025. Permalink