Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

(AP) - Experts at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture say the exceptionally dry conditions mean farmers should consider a rotational grazing system for their livestock.

Garry Lacefield, a forage extension specialist, says rotating grazing areas will ensure less waste.

The college says in a news release that many of Kentucky's pastures are made up of cool-season grasses such as tall fescue, orchard grass and Kentucky bluegrass. These grasses don't do well in hot, dry weather, and in some parts of western Kentucky rain is 8 to 9 inches below normal.

Lacefield says farmers can plant late-season pastures such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass and pearl millet for emergency pasture for their animals should the dry conditions continue.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)