Bought all my hay this year

[Bright Raven]

4x5 rolls of Timothy, orchard grass and fescue. Decent hay. I have not tested it. 30 dollars a roll, delivered. Plus, I have the benefit of more pasture.

I was paying 20 dollars per bale to have my hay rolled and 10 dollars a roll in fertilizer. So cost is about even.

 

[M-5]

What benefit ?? You won't increase your stocking rate and your burning fuel mowing them down.

 

[Bright Raven]

What benefit ?? You won't increase your stocking rate and your burning fuel mowing them down.

Agree. I dont intend to increase my stocking rate. And yes, my cows are becoming obese as we post. Not with standing that point, the cost is the same.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I'd take that deal all day long, and sit back not having to hay. Plus you're buying in their fertility.

 

[Bright Raven]

I'd take that deal all day long, and sit back not having to hay. Plus you're buying in their fertility.

I like that deal!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Is that wrapped with twine?

I've really grown to appreciate net wrapped hay once I got over the frustration of disposing of the used wrap.

 

[sstterry]

I have a friend in Georgia that swears by haylege. I have never seen it wrapped on our area though.
Got mine in on Saturday. I keep the majority of it in sheds so no need for netwrap. Luckily had good weather and it cured nicely.

 

[Bright Raven]

Is that wrapped with twine?

I've really grown to appreciate net wrapped hay once I got over the frustration of disposing of the used wrap.

Yes. Twine. I prefer twine. By the time this hay is fed, twine will be 59 % gone.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Is that wrapped with twine?

I've really grown to appreciate net wrapped hay once I got over the frustration of disposing of the used wrap.

Yes. Twine. I prefer twine. By the time this hay is fed, twine will be 59 % gone.

I used to feel the same way until I realized how much better the bales shed water when net wrapped.

 

[hurleyjd]

Is that wrapped with twine?

I've really grown to appreciate net wrapped hay once I got over the frustration of disposing of the used wrap.

Yes. Twine. I prefer twine. By the time this hay is fed, twine will be 59 % gone.

I used to feel the same way until I realized how much better the bales shed water when net wrapped.

I can have the net removed and rolled in to a ball quicker than removing twine. The net ball goes into a burn barrel and is burned when the barrel is about 3/4 full. Twine is a disposable problem also.

 

[Bright Raven]

Yes. Twine. I prefer twine. By the time this hay is fed, twine will be 59 % gone.

I used to feel the same way until I realized how much better the bales shed water when net wrapped.

I can have the net removed and rolled in to a ball quicker than removing twine. The net ball goes into a burn barrel and is burned when the barrel is about 3/4 full. Twine is a disposable problem also.

I keep the twine in a big pile. In early spring, I use it for erosion control. Works well. Load it with a pitch fork in the Utility Vehicle and dump it at the head of a rill or gulley. It catches debris from above and the erosion is controlled.

 

[sstterry]

I used to feel the same way until I realized how much better the bales shed water when net wrapped.

I can have the net removed and rolled in to a ball quicker than removing twine. The net ball goes into a burn barrel and is burned when the barrel is about 3/4 full. Twine is a disposable problem also.

I keep the twine in a big pile. In early spring, I use it for erosion control. Works well. Load it with a pitch fork in the Utility Vehicle and dump it at the head of a rill or gulley. It catches debris from above and the erosion is controlled.

What happens when the cows step in it and get tangled?

 

[bird dog]

Raven or someone mentioned using it for erosion control a couple years ago and I have also been working with it that way.

What I have found is that the best way is to put it out like Raven says but cover it lightly with some rocks or dirt. Covering does a few different things. It keeps the calves from pulling it out. It keeps a heavy rain from floating it out. It gives grass that comes up through it a stable place to lay down roots. It keeps it down and out of the cows feet. If you use your tractor to scrape up some dirt that has grass in it, it takes root in a hurry over the net wrap. Almost like sprigging. Its a poor mans erosion mats.

It also works very well where your pond over flows. Again it helps to cover it some. It looks trashy for a while but if you put it out in early spring as mentioned, it covers over fairly quick.

 

[TCRanch]

$30 delivered?!? Holy cow! Was checking Craigslist the other day & around here 5x6 brome is getting $90, 4x5 alfalfa is $75 and plain ol' prairie is getting $45 for 5x6. Not delivered.

 

[Bright Raven]

I can have the net removed and rolled in to a ball quicker than removing twine. The net ball goes into a burn barrel and is burned when the barrel is about 3/4 full. Twine is a disposable problem also.

I keep the twine in a big pile. In early spring, I use it for erosion control. Works well. Load it with a pitch fork in the Utility Vehicle and dump it at the head of a rill or gulley. It catches debris from above and the erosion is controlled.

What happens when the cows step in it and get tangled?

Like Bird Dog said. I cover it. Few rocks, dirt, debris. So far nothing has got tangled in it.

 

[Bright Raven]

$30 delivered?!? Holy cow! Was checking Craigslist the other day & around here 5x6 brome is getting $90, 4x5 alfalfa is $75 and plain ol' prairie is getting $45 for 5x6. Not delivered.

Yep. Fire Sweep had the same reaction. In fact, if I was not particular, I can find it for $25. I looked at this hay standing in the field. I know when it was cut and I know it was not rained on. The only thing I have noticed negative is that the bales seem light because they were not rolled as tight as they could be.

 

[sstterry]

I keep the twine in a big pile. In early spring, I use it for erosion control. Works well. Load it with a pitch fork in the Utility Vehicle and dump it at the head of a rill or gulley. It catches debris from above and the erosion is controlled.

What happens when the cows step in it and get tangled?

Like Bird Dog said. I cover it. Few rocks, dirt, debris. So far nothing has got tangled in it.

I missed that you covered it.

 

[bird dog]

I guess I need to say that I use net more for the erosion work more than twine. Twine works okay in the deeper ruts where net works well in shallow ones as well as deep.

A lot of my problems is where water runs over the top of the soil through clump grass like blue stems and washes out between the clumps. Makes it rough as heck. Net spread over this area and covered with a couple inches of any kind of dirt. keeps it from getting worse. One of the best uses has been where cattle trails are along a fence. The water runs down these trails and they get deeper and deeper and are hard to fix being right next to the fence. Put a clump of net about every 50 yards covered with rocks about golf ball size are bigger works excellent to slow down the flow and catch the top soil.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I used to feel the same way until I realized how much better the bales shed water when net wrapped.

I can have the net removed and rolled in to a ball quicker than removing twine. The net ball goes into a burn barrel and is burned when the barrel is about 3/4 full. Twine is a disposable problem also.

I keep the twine in a big pile. In early spring, I use it for erosion control. Works well. Load it with a pitch fork in the Utility Vehicle and dump it at the head of a rill or gulley. It catches debris from above and the erosion is controlled.

Hope the EPA doesn't catch you.

 

[bball]

4x5 rolls of Timothy, orchard grass and fescue. Decent hay. I have not tested it. 30 dollars a roll, delivered. Plus, I have the benefit of more pasture.

I was paying 20 dollars per bale to have my hay rolled and 10 dollars a roll in fertilizer. So cost is about even.

I had just at $30 per bale into my first cutting, after fuel, fertilizer, and all the additional expenses. $30 delivered sounds like a bargain? How heavy and any nutritional analysis?