I have never been a fan of flashy cars or used car salesmen. My first car was a green 2005 Ford Taurus with a huge dent in the passenger door. My dream car was a gold 2014 Toyota Camry, which I flipped on my honeymoon. My current car is another 2014 Toyota Camry — but with a red paint job. All these vehicles have been proudly purchased from private sellers.
While this article is not an endorsement of the humble, yet reliable, Camry, I would suggest that we need to consider new forage options with the same scrutiny as buying cars. Having heard a lot of sales pitches, I aim to make an honest case for native warm-season grasses.
Native warm-season grasses are promoted by public and private entities for both forage and wildlife. These grasses were widespread long before people settled here, but they disappeared as land was cleared and cultivated in the 19th and 20th centuries. Sizable populations of these species have persisted into the 21st century in roadside ditches, powerline right-of-ways, and even in some pastures.
The five species most often seen and planted are:
• Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
• Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
• Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
Some of the native grasses were bred as forage crops between about 1900 and 1940, and agronomists, wildlife managers, and landscapers have been promoting and planting sizable native grass acreage since the 1990s. With that said, the 50-year gap between developing these species as forage crops and achieving widespread use raises some questions about their utility. We need to understand what native warm-season grasses have to offer a grazier, as well as their limitations.
Fill the gap
Native warm-season grasses will start growing a little earlier in late spring and early summer than bermudagrass and bahiagrass. This timing works well in the Fescue Belt to get cattle off of tall fescue to avoid toxicosis. Where pastures are dominated by warm-season species, native grasses might fit a gap if annual ryegrass comes up short and bermudagrass and bahiagrass are slow to grow early in the season.
Native warm-season grasses are more water-use efficient than bermudagrass or tall fescue. This efficiency appears to be a function of a larger, and potentially deeper, root system than most forages. As a result, they can grow further into dry periods than most commonly grown species. Pushing the herd onto native grasses can allow additional rest for the adjacent bermudagrass or bahiagrass fields. Cattle can also be put on native grasses while bermudagrass or bahiagrass are being harvested for hay.
Native warm-season grasses are effective at putting weight on heifers, stockers, and other growing classes of livestock. I was able to put an additional half pound of daily gain on heifers using a bluestem-indiangrass mixture as part of my doctoral research work. That performance only required 20% of the farm to be planted in native grasses. Most native grass research has prioritized getting the neediest animals off toxic tall fescue, but these gains can be similarly important when bermudagrass and bahiagrass nutritive value declines in the summer.
Know the limitations
Native warm-season grasses require additional attention to detail when it comes to moving animals into or out of the pasture. The growing points on native warm-season grasses are higher up on the plant stem and more easily removed by grazing animals than the growing points of bermudagrass or bahiagrass. Our existing warm-season perennial forages are widespread because they handled the realities of low-input, continuously grazed pastures. Leaving adequate stubble, providing rest, and careful planning of grazing events is even more important for native grasses than for most other forages.
Native warm-season grasses can be expensive in terms of seed and establishment costs. This includes the cost of killing an existing sod and replacing it with a new warm-season grass stand. Successful plantings aren’t ready to graze until the end of the establishment year, at the earliest. Marginal seedings will need time to thicken and can’t be grazed until the second year. On most farms, the best approach is to limit plantings to 5 to 10 acres at a time. This will hedge the opportunity cost and lower the risk of a stand failure.
Have defined goals
Cost-share opportunities, wildlife habitat, novelty, and some of the advantages of having a native-grass stand might entice farmers to plant these warm-season species, but these reasons do not constitute a clear plan. Wildlife biologists prefer a thinner stand with some broadleaf or shrubby component to favor quail habitat. Agronomists and animal scientists want a solid, thick native stand that will provide adequate forage.
The average farmer must balance the objectives and constraints on his or her grazing operation, which can be challenging when making a native planting. The conversation must start with a clear goal, such as “I would like to plant 8 acres of native grasses for my summer stocker program.” Otherwise, well-meaning advisers might build a plan that reflects their own goals rather than the farmer’s desired objective.
Native warm-season grasses are a great forage option for farmers who are willing to adjust their practices for a dedicated field. These species will not resolve overstocking, overgrazing, or ineffective use of the current forage base; however, they can enhance an existing grazing system and offer a grazing alternative when other species become less productive.
This article appeared in the January 2026 issue of Hay & Forage Grower on page 22 and 23.
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