Almost time to put out some hay

[Texas G@l]

I had hoped to hold off but will have to put out some hay in a week or so. We're holding cows off of several pastures with Johnson grass in them. Even with last weeks "winter" weather we haven't had a killing frost yet.

Anyone else in North Central Texas feeding hay yet???

 

[bird dog]

My main group with fall calves got a couple rolls rolled out in the last week. My other group of spring calvers has about a months worth of grazing left. Much better grass where they are at.

I grazed my Johnson grass hard two weeks ago and slung out some oats into the stubble. We'll see how it does.

 

[1982vett]

Not feeding yet. Still have a lot of grass although it is quite matured (brown) by age or lack of rain, maybe both. Johnson grass isn't green enough to be a problem...I think...haven't chanced it just yet. I suppose sooner or later I'm going to have to give it a go. Might be a while before it gets cold or moist enough to freeze or frost off. I did put one roll of not so great hay out a while back to see what they would act about it. Don't seem to be interested. Just my thoughts.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I keep a roll or two out year round just to give em something else to munch on. I've found it helps when stocked heavy too.
Been feeding hay regular for a few weeks now. Was drier than a popcorn fart in the middle of July. Then it froze for a couple days. No more yummy yummy grass now

 

[kenny thomas]

I don't mean anything bad by this but how can you make any profit feeding so many months.

 

[OleScout]

They started hollering at me when I came home about Three weeks ago. Lot of dead grass and some green sprouts in the pasture. I filled the feeders with 2&1 two weeks ago and they seemed satisfied. got hollered at pretty good this afternoon so will check grass tomorrow and think about some hay.

 

[ccr]

We won't be feeding any hay until after December. There is a lot of dry native grass that will need to be eat along with 34% cube before putting out hay.

 

[Texas G@l]

We won't be feeding any hay until after December. There is a lot of dry native grass that will need to be eat along with 34% cube before putting out hay

Once we get a good freeze the girls will go on native grass. There's just too many little patches of johnson grass in the fence line of a couple of pastures and the brush piles of another two for comfort right now.

 

[ccr]

I understand about the concern with the johnson grass. We had small patches in an area and I went over there and mowed it a few weeks ago.

We had a cow die in that same area one year and upon asking the vet about it, he asked was there johnson grass in there and I replied yes a little bit, and he said it don't take much.

We are concerned about the johnson grass and try to keep it killed because not sure that I would think about keeping them out of an area that there may be johnson grass during a time the johnson grass would be harmful.

 

[ARS]

We're hoping to hold off for another few weeks here in Ohio. The pastures definitely look picked over, but the cows seem content and aren't complaining yet. I throw them a scoop or two of grain at night just to get them in the corral and get an eye on each of them, and some nights in a struggle to persuade them all to come in. I take that as a good sign though!

 

[4vcattle]

I had hoped to hold off but will have to put out some hay in a week or so. We're holding cows off of several pastures with Johnson grass in them. Even with last weeks "winter" weather we haven't had a killing frost yet.

Anyone else in North Central Texas feeding hay yet???

Man
Every place is different, we won't feed any hay until probably Christmas.
Fescue has its merits.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I don't mean anything bad by this but how can you make any profit feeding so many months.

I put in a LOT of hours making hay for other folks. I'm paid in hay. Lol
Dunno if its profitable, but I enjoy it. Mostly...

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Snow has finially melted UP here but we've had over 20" so far. Needless to say it's hay feeding season until May/June here

 

[Dave]

I know of nobody feeding hay yet. There are still a lot of cows up in the hills here. Some have gathered the cows, weaned the calves, and cows are out on regrowth in the hay meadows. Some gathered, weaned, and then ran the cows back up in the hills. And I know a couple big ouotfits who haven't even gathered yet. There is sure no green up in the hills but places have a lot of dry grass for them to pick trough. It has been in the 20's every morning for 10 days or so. There won't be any green grass until next spring.

 

[kentuckyguy]

Still strip grazing the fescue and johnsongrass in a hay field we saved back.

move unrolled a couple 4x4's for the spring calving cows. Mainly to keep them on the opposite side of the pasture so the calves I'm weaning don't get so upset.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We generally feed just about 6 months of the year. Looks like I may have maybe 2 more weeks of grazing - which is awesome! since I am buying hay. So dry, we did not make enough for the cows. Grazed what should have been 2nd cutting for 10 weeks. Really saved me a bunch in hay! If I had taken a chance and had 2nd cutting mowed & baled, it would have cost a fortune per bale. Mowing, raking is by the acre. This way, I didn't pay big $ for each bale and got 10 weeks of grazing that I would have been feeding hay. I am real happy with my decision. It was nail biting trying to decide what to do. Only hay equipment I own is the spears on my tractor! Have had the same hay crew for maybe 30+ years.