Eastern Gamma grass

[Hillside farmer]

Has anyone used this as hay?
I'm wondering how quick it dries?
Is it better as a silage?
What kind of yield per acre "tons"?

Thanks new to the board.

Hillside farmer

 

[Larry Sansom]

I l;ooked at that grass several years ago - massive tonnage - but the clumps would wreck a tractor as you try to mow - rake etc. Better to graze it I guess. I did not plant it as the clump issue was just more than I wanted to deal with. One farmer I looked at said it was not a problem for Him - his neighbor said that was true - His WIFE did all the tractor work!

 

[dun]

I l;ooked at that grass several years ago - massive tonnage - but the clumps would wreck a tractor as you try to mow - rake etc. Better to graze it I guess. I did not plant it as the clump issue was just more than I wanted to deal with. One farmer I looked at said it was not a problem for Him - his neighbor said that was true - His WIFE did all the tractor work!

I'll second the tractor wrecker abilitys. Neighbor has a field that's now 3 years old and he's quit baling it. Beats up the equipment to badly.

dun

 

[Scotty]

Is this grass similar to Love grass?


Scotty

 

[dun]

Is this grass similar to Love grass?


Scotty

What we call love grass is a low growing clumpy stuff. The gamma grass forms clumps of ryzomes that are a around 3-4 of inches high. The ryzomes are a little bigger in diameter then a pencil and the plant bases are about 1 foot in diameter. Being a little late with the cutting gives you hay that's coarse almost like corn stalks, in some way reminds me of sudan.

dun