baling winter wheat

[J Baxter]

Anybody here ever tried to bale winter wheat early enough that you could still cut the wheat. I have another 100 acres that I'm debating on planting in wheat, but I am not going to run cattle on it. I was just wondering if I baled it in early April (at the same time I pull my cows off of the winter wheat that I am going to harvest) if I could still harvest it.

JB

 

[Campground Cattle]

Anybody here ever tried to bale winter wheat early enough that you could still cut the wheat. I have another 100 acres that I'm debating on planting in wheat, but I am not going to run cattle on it. I was just wondering if I baled it in early April (at the same time I pull my cows off of the winter wheat that I am going to harvest) if I could still harvest it.

JB

Never tried it on wheat but have baled winter rye grass, I don't see why you couldn't.

 

[J Baxter]

Morning Campground,

Did you harvest the rye grass seed? I'm really debating trying it on a least a few acres. If it works it will change the way I raise cattle for good.

J Baxter

 

[Texan]

JB, it seems to me like there is a tremendous difference between having cattle graze the leaves of a plant and using a mower to cut it down to the stem. You would be asking it to grow all new leaves after taking a lot of energy from the plant before it can even think about reproductive stage. Then throw in the raking, tracks through it, and other things that could set the plants back.

Not to mention some other factors that could set it back even more, such as how long it will have to lay on top of those stems to cure that time of Spring. Looks to me like one shower on it could set you back to the point of turning it into graze-out wheat or another hay cutting. And then, only after you got enough regrowth.

 

[dun]

We have doe similar but a little different with fescue. We grazed it early, let it rest and head out, combined the seed then cut the hay. Still got another grazing period off of it before winter. The hay was really pretty nice stuff too. Since the combine took the head off just above the leaves it wasn't as stemmy as I had expected.

dun

 

[Campground Cattle]

Morning Campground,

Did you harvest the rye grass seed? I'm really debating trying it on a least a few acres. If it works it will change the way I raise cattle for good.

J Baxter

Baled it with the seed heads on, free ryegrass next winter.

 

[Dee]

Do you have trouble with the wheat grass drying? We had a TERRIABLE time drying millet a few years ago. Rye wasn't as bad, but haven't tried it with wheat. I was told it is good to have the cattle lightly graze, because them stomping on the ground helps the roots of the plant to "tiller" resulting in more plants?

 

[J Baxter]

The time frame that I'm looking at baling the wheat would be in a stage before it really gets stemmy. It would be a whole lot closer to baling a wide leaf type grass. The area I'm thinking about trying it has a very sandy soil and excellent drainage. If I can catch a dry week in late march early April I may give it a whirl.

JB

 

[Texan]

If I can catch a dry week in late march early April I may give it a whirl.

As resourceful as farmers are, I bet somebody, somewhere has tried it before. If it worked, you would think it would be a common practice. But maybe it'll turn into a common practice after you do it, JB. Let us know how it turns out. Heck, you can't lose it all. You can at least get another hay cutting off of it if you don't think its gonna make. Good luck!

 

[J Baxter]

I certainly will let everyone know. We need every advantage we can get. I don't think it is something that can be done every year as conditions won't allow for it, but if it works 50% of the time it will be worth it. I'll just try a small plot, weather allowing this year.

JB