For annual ryegrass production to be successful in Missouri, the seed must be carefully selected for winter hardiness. These winter-hardy varieties have been successfully grown as far north as southern Iowa. If common seed is purchased from Mississippi be prepared for a disappointment. Seed costs are about 60 cents a pound and require 25 pounds of seed per acre. Since ryegrass responds well to nitrogen, growers who skimp on fertilizer can not expect to get comparable yields.
Annual ryegrass can provide a couple of crops per year.
It can be seeded and fertilized with 50 pounds of nitrogen in the fall. After that is grazed down, the crop can be fertilized again with 50 to 75 pounds of nitrogen and provide another two tons of grazing in late February and March, when cows need spring grass. Annual ryegrass works well for grain farmers with beef cow herds. The grass can be seeded in September on grain-stubble to provide winter grazing. The best thing about ryegrass is that it provides grazing through the critical winter months.