canola question

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hillsdown

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Has anyone fed canola. A crop was hailed on really bad last year so they cut it and baled it. It is very green as it was cut young..

Anyone with experience with this ?
 
Canola cut early is normally about 25% CP and 65% TDN
Canola cut later at mid bloom can be around 15% CP and 60% TDN.

Ask them for a forage analysis and if they dont have one ask if you can take one and get it analyzed<< that is your best bet.
 
Thanks edrsimms ,I also managed to get some replies from Canadians on Ranchers that are familiar with it.

I managed to get a few bales to tie me over until I can kick them out to pasture and the price was definitely right. The cows are a little fickle right now but they are going to have to eat it .It is really nice and green a little more mature than I would like but it will do. I am guessing it will test out at around 7-9 % protein ..Have a sample ready to go into the nutritionist..As long as they hold their condition I am not too worried and they are all pretty much bred already..I also have a creep for the calves so they can be supplemented and not pull the cows down. BTW the bales are huge , they just fit in my feeders.

There was no way I was going to pay $120.00 for a bale of mediocre hay at best, good alfalfa first cut mix hay is going for $200 a ton and trucking on top of it. If I had a few head or just a couple of horses to feed maybe..but.. I would sell the cows first as there is no way you would even come close to breaking even with a herd..

This morning a really good friend and neighbor called and said he would lend me some hay until the cattle can be kicked out. It sure is nice have people like that for friends and neighbors, makes you believe in people again..Thankfully I didn't have to take advantage of their generosity..

FWIW, some of you may think $120.00 a bale is not expensive for 1st cut hay but more than likely you do not have to feed 7 or 8 months out of the year.. ;-)

Things may be done very differently around here come fall, in fact I am thinking of selling 15-20 3 in ones next month.
 
Hope you get to make some hay this year.

My first cut was 38 acres and made 37 tons. A little less than last year and about 2/3 rds the quality. Fertilizer is about $10 and acre cheaper this year (so far). Should be starting the second cut instead of just fininsh the first. Since it looks like the middle of August already...........not much to look forward to. Sold two cows yesterday that I didn't get sell earlier in the year because we started to get some rain. Going to sell some more I guess.

I have about 95 tons left from last year and the year before so that give me about 132 tons to get me (hopfully) on oats.
 

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