Canary Grass Nutrition

[JeffK-MN]

Hi All
My brother just bought some 1000# big round bales of canary grass hay that was put up 2 years ago.
We have 16 head of pregnant cows.
We have been feeding mixed grass hay so far this year and we needed more hay. The bales are nice and green inside. But have been stored outside.
How do you tell how good canary grass hay is? I have been told that if it is put up right it is very good feed.
Thanks for any info Jeff

 

[turklilley]

I don't know about the nutritional value, but I can't get my cattle to eat it. I have some other grass they are slow to eat, but they avoid canary grass like the plague.

 

[Bigfoot]

uneddible I thought.

 

[Beefeater]

Yes, put up right Reed Canary can make excellent hay. I reluctantly sold some to a horse owner a few years back - she's called me up the past two years trying to get more. Getting it put up right usually requires a lot of luck as it prefers really wet areas. Even if the weather is right for cutting at the right stage the ground is likely too wet to get equipment in. Never tested mine, but judging by their poop it's pretty good. My goats and sheep think it's candy as well.

If it has a lot of big stems it's probably a bit mature and they'll waste a lot. Put out a bale and you'll be able to judge pretty quick what the quality is.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Makes very good feed if put up at the right time (when it's very young and almost all leaf no steamy stalks). Trouble around here is it grows in wet areas and when the canary grass is at its prime there is usually standing water and its impossible to harvest. I have quite a bit of it in pastures and the cows go for it first thing if its young and tender.

 

[Stocker Steve]

By testing it.

My late cut grass hay test results require a pound or two of DDG based supplement per heavy bred cow per day.

 

[JeffK-MN]

Thanks for the info
We just put out some to see how they like it.
It looks to be leafy with small steamed hay.
Jeff

 

[ILMOcowcalf]

I have 40 acres of the low endowfife(sp?) reeds canary grass. I pasture it sometimes and hay it sometimes. I have had feed analysis done on it when baled. My test show first cutting is around 6.3 Crude protein and second cutting is around 11.2 Crude Protein. First cutting does get stemmy on me because I'm planting corn when I should be mowing and baling it.

 

[JeffK-MN]

Thanks The cows seem to like most of it. Some of the thin stems and leafy bales they ate really good.
The more mature stems the less they like it. But they are eating it and not very hungry.