Crabgrass as a viable hay product

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Texasmark

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Been pretty much a hot, drought here lately. Of the few grasses normally used for haying, Crabgrass has grown leaps and bounds around the rest in places where I don't want. nor encourage any growth....don't have it deliberately planted, nor used in the haying operation. Hear this and that about some folks bale it. Thinking about adding it, along with the old standbys to maybe improve the late summer hay crop. Seems to stem up and leaf out adequately to roll satisfactorily.

Also wondering about how it is accepted by the intended recipients...bovines and equines.

Your comments would be appreiated.
Thanks,
Mark
 
Crabgrass is hard to get dry, takes at least 3 full days of good sun. Supposedly crabgrass makes really good hay according to those in the know.
 
Texasmark":25oruzc5 said:
Been pretty much a hot, drought here lately. Of the few grasses normally used for haying, Crabgrass has grown leaps and bounds around the rest in places where I don't want. nor encourage any growth....don't have it deliberately planted, nor used in the haying operation. Hear this and that about some folks bale it. Thinking about adding it, along with the old standbys to maybe improve the late summer hay crop. Seems to stem up and leaf out adequately to roll satisfactorily.

Also wondering about how it is accepted by the intended recipients...bovines and equines.

Your comments would be appreiated.
Thanks,
Mark

Heck fire I planted Red River crab grass years ago. It's great in my book slowly beating out the Bahia.
 
I have lots of the volunteer type. It has filled most bare spots and thickened our pastures. I truly am a fan.

Are the RR variety or the QnB type that much better? To be buying the expensive seed...
 
I was very close to sowing my wintering area late this spring. I should have. Next year i do plan to. Seed it once, and have it every year if managed correctly.
 
ClinchValley":1jud6j5h said:
I was very close to sowing my wintering area late this spring. I should have. Next year i do plan to. Seed it once, and have it every year if managed correctly.

I sowed Johnson Grass this spring for the same reason. I think I'll add CG next spring. Trying to get good hay at a reasonable price for some folks who are of limited means, don't have a tractor, like my smaller 5x4 bales running about 750#. Have a Bermuda patch for the not too picky horse folks.

Other thing is clay soil erodes if not covered on the side of a hill. Leaving the last growth (with the seed pods intact) is good for next year's crop and good to have something in the soil to hold the soil.
 
ClinchValley":2sm3tik7 said:
I have lots of the volunteer type. It has filled most bare spots and thickened our pastures. I truly am a fan.

Are the RR variety or the QnB type that much better? To be buying the expensive seed...

Never tried any QnB
Here is a unfertilized pasture it is smothering the Bahia out. It really responds to fertilize much better than Bahia. It grows really thick here. It's the best forage for pasture I have found for my area that will compete with Bahia for ground. The two clumps of smut grass went to round up heaven.
Edit I only planted one fifty pound bag in a test plot and it has took off.
I got the bag of seed as a joke. Cousin needed hay hauled cause his tractor was down. He asked what I would do it for and I told him a bag of Red River.
Not my fault he didn't check prices before I hauled the hay for him.
Boy nearly had an aneurism.

 
If weather liars are correct , I will cut 25 acres of knee deep crabgrass saturday /sunday. I have just started rehabbing this field and its about 50% CG 40% bermuda 5% bahia and the other 5% is volunteer browntop , buffalo grass , should make good cow chow , the seed heads are just forming .
 
M-5":2wxworq2 said:
If weather liars are correct , I will cut 25 acres of knee deep crabgrass saturday /sunday. I have just started rehabbing this field and its about 50% CG 40% bermuda 5% bahia and the other 5% is volunteer browntop , buffalo grass , should make good cow chow , the seed heads are just forming .
They aren't. Got a 5 county wide dry hole in the line of rain coming through. Hope you fair better.
 
1982vett":1z6xswu8 said:
M-5":1z6xswu8 said:
If weather liars are correct , I will cut 25 acres of knee deep crabgrass saturday /sunday. I have just started rehabbing this field and its about 50% CG 40% bermuda 5% bahia and the other 5% is volunteer browntop , buffalo grass , should make good cow chow , the seed heads are just forming .
They aren't. Got a 5 county wide dry hole in the line of rain coming through. Hope you fair better.

The nightlight is still on its so dark here. Lots of lightning and the radar north of me has all sorts of pretty colors.
 
Texasmark":2biely0j said:
Been pretty much a hot, drought here lately. Of the few grasses normally used for haying, Crabgrass has grown leaps and bounds around the rest in places where I don't want. nor encourage any growth....don't have it deliberately planted, nor used in the haying operation. Hear this and that about some folks bale it. Thinking about adding it, along with the old standbys to maybe improve the late summer hay crop. Seems to stem up and leaf out adequately to roll satisfactorily.

Also wondering about how it is accepted by the intended recipients...bovines and equines.

Your comments would be appreiated.
Thanks,
Mark

Closeup of Red River after our recent rain.



 
Caustic Burno":ke1xp9aj said:
Texasmark":ke1xp9aj said:
Been pretty much a hot, drought here lately. Of the few grasses normally used for haying, Crabgrass has grown leaps and bounds around the rest in places where I don't want. nor encourage any growth....don't have it deliberately planted, nor used in the haying operation. Hear this and that about some folks bale it. Thinking about adding it, along with the old standbys to maybe improve the late summer hay crop. Seems to stem up and leaf out adequately to roll satisfactorily.

Also wondering about how it is accepted by the intended recipients...bovines and equines.

Your comments would be appreiated.
Thanks,
Mark

Closeup of Red River after our recent rain.




Nice. How much did you get and how tall now? When did you cut it last? Thanks. Mark
 

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