Drovers article about CRP

[dun]

Thisis the article that I refered to in a previous post:

 

[Angus Guy]

I would rather bale then graze. If you feed as hay cattle wont waste as much.

 

[dun]

I would rather bale then graze. If you feed as hay cattle wont waste as much.

I would think it would still be pretty low quality hay. They still have to contend with the dead and weathered stuff from preceeding years.

dun

 

[denoginnizer]

Much of the crp I see has many weeds that I wouldnt want to introduce into my cattle pastures

 

[mnmtranching]

Well CRP is very poor for grazing and for hay. You have all the last years stuff mixed in there. After a very dry year like this there's not a lot of new growth. What new growth there is, is over mature, leaves are gone, you have for the most part a stem, the least nutritius part of the plant. If there is green weeds mixed in, might be a plus. Better then nothing? Ya I guess.

mnmt

 

[dun]

Well CRP is very poor for grazing and for hay. You have all the last years stuff mixed in there. After a very dry year like this there's not a lot of new growth. What new growth there is, is over mature, leaves are gone, you have for the most part a stem, the least nutritius part of the plant. If there is green weeds mixed in, might be a plus. Better then nothing? Ya I guess.

mnmt

I figured about all it would be is for scratch affect and they'ld still need a source of protein

dun

 

[Angus Guy]

But it is better than feeding snowballs Also since fences might not be much good on alot of CRP baling makes more sense. As for quality you might be suprised at how well the old cows will do on it.

 

[travlnusa]

I have found some CRP land that has been cut each summer after the nesting season is over. Landowner had done this for weed control.

What do you think of baling this in large rounds, and wrapping in plastic? Will this soften up the stems making it more paletable (sp?).

Would have it tested and supplement as needed.

I can get access to this for a very low cost per bale basis.

What do you all think?

 

[travlnusa]

I have found some CRP land that has been cut each summer after the nesting season is over. Landowner had done this for weed control.

What do you think of baling this in large rounds, and wrapping in plastic? Will this soften up the stems making it more paletable (sp?).

Would have it tested and supplement as needed.

I can get access to this for a very low cost per bale basis.

What do you all think?

 

[Angus Guy]

I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[mnmtranching]

Yes sir, better then nothing. Many a rancher would love to have it.

mnmt

 

[cowtrek]

I have found some CRP land that has been cut each summer after the nesting season is over. Landowner had done this for weed control.

What do you think of baling this in large rounds, and wrapping in plastic? Will this soften up the stems making it more paletable (sp?).

Would have it tested and supplement as needed.

I can get access to this for a very low cost per bale basis.

What do you all think?

I don't know that I'd wrap it. I don't think that wrapping in plastic would really do anything to soften the stems. Hay quality is the highest it will ever be when it is cut, it's all downhill from there. Wrapping lower quality stuff only runs the cost up, IMHO, unless you're in an area where weather issues make dry hay hard to make, and you might lose more quality 'doing it cheap' letting it lay on the ground to dry than you would by wrapping it and getting it put up quick. Depends on your costs I guess and how much you need the hay. For the money you might do better to bale it as dry hay and grind it to deal with stems, if you want, or just feed it as is and supplement with grain, molasses, or better quality hay.

I'm always surprised at what cattle will and won't eat. Cattle will eat stuff as hay that they wouldn't touch when green and growing. I've had cattle bum rush me when feeding two year old stemmy musty soybean/j-grass/ morningglory vine bales while leaving good clean fresh bahia bales behind. I've seen em leave unrolled bales of good clean prairie/dallisgrass hay for weedier hay with blackberry vines in it. Cow's tasters must really be different, because you never can tell what they'll leave to fight over.
CRP ground without fences and water sure makes hay look more attractive. Like I said cows will eat stuff in the hay they probably wouldn't eat standing in the field. Sure it's not the best quality but easier to use it as filler and make your good hay stretch farther. Besides, if you have your equipment and are doing it yourself, you can roll dry hay pretty cheaply if you don't have to haul it too far.
Another thing you might consider with CRP ground, if it had a lot of dead stuff in it and you got a decent rain, is shred everything off and let the tender green stuff come back, then graze or hay it. Then you'd have some pretty good material to work with. Cost more, but the quality would be there... Good luck! OL JR

 

[cowtrek]

I have found some CRP land that has been cut each summer after the nesting season is over. Landowner had done this for weed control.

What do you think of baling this in large rounds, and wrapping in plastic? Will this soften up the stems making it more paletable (sp?).

Would have it tested and supplement as needed.

I can get access to this for a very low cost per bale basis.

What do you all think?

I don't know that I'd wrap it. I don't think that wrapping in plastic would really do anything to soften the stems. Hay quality is the highest it will ever be when it is cut, it's all downhill from there. Wrapping lower quality stuff only runs the cost up, IMHO, unless you're in an area where weather issues make dry hay hard to make, and you might lose more quality 'doing it cheap' letting it lay on the ground to dry than you would by wrapping it and getting it put up quick. Depends on your costs I guess and how much you need the hay. For the money you might do better to bale it as dry hay and grind it to deal with stems, if you want, or just feed it as is and supplement with grain, molasses, or better quality hay.

I'm always surprised at what cattle will and won't eat. Cattle will eat stuff as hay that they wouldn't touch when green and growing. I've had cattle bum rush me when feeding two year old stemmy musty soybean/j-grass/ morningglory vine bales while leaving good clean fresh bahia bales behind. I've seen em leave unrolled bales of good clean prairie/dallisgrass hay for weedier hay with blackberry vines in it. Cow's tasters must really be different, because you never can tell what they'll leave to fight over.
CRP ground without fences and water sure makes hay look more attractive. Like I said cows will eat stuff in the hay they probably wouldn't eat standing in the field. Sure it's not the best quality but easier to use it as filler and make your good hay stretch farther. Besides, if you have your equipment and are doing it yourself, you can roll dry hay pretty cheaply if you don't have to haul it too far.
Another thing you might consider with CRP ground, if it had a lot of dead stuff in it and you got a decent rain, is shred everything off and let the tender green stuff come back, then graze or hay it. Then you'd have some pretty good material to work with. Cost more, but the quality would be there... Good luck! OL JR