You need a pound of hay or silage for a nitrate test. If you are a North Carolina resident, the sample can be sent to Constable Lab in Raleigh. Email Peggy Drechsler for more information about forage samples, pasture management and soil tests. Thinning pastures are often seen after a lengthy dry spell. The most common grass in this area is tall fescue.
Tall fescue is a cool season grass which goes dormant in hot dry weather.
Continuous grazing of the plants prevents that natural dormancy from happening and weakens the plants. Broadleaf weed seeds germinate more easily as the grass grows thinner. These weeds further weaken the grass by competing for water and nutrients. I sprayed them, but most of them are still there. Broadleaf weeds are best chemically controlled when they are 4 to 8 inches tall, before heading.