mnmtranching
Well-known member
The herd goes on full hay tomorrow. Oh well, we got 2 1/2 months of grazing this year up from the 2 months last year.
End of the Grazing season
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Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Beat you to the hay by a couple weeks 
Turned out the third week of May so 2 1/2 months of grazing is about right. They are on second cutting alfalfa until the trucks come on Thursday.
Corn is firing here but I got 5 big bales of oats straw per acre. So I have a lot of feed but most of it is not stocker quality.
Some folks are starting to worry about hay again. I had a load parked by the road for a day and people were driving into the yard thinking or hoping it was for sale.
Turned out the third week of May so 2 1/2 months of grazing is about right. They are on second cutting alfalfa until the trucks come on Thursday.Corn is firing here but I got 5 big bales of oats straw per acre. So I have a lot of feed but most of it is not stocker quality.
Some folks are starting to worry about hay again. I had a load parked by the road for a day and people were driving into the yard thinking or hoping it was for sale.
bigbull338
Well-known member
we are lucky.we have to start feeding hay till the end of nov or 1st of dec.still have grass thanks to the rain we got.
john250
Well-known member
Minnesota wasn't on my list of dry places. Are you guys droughted out or has it frosted already?
We could use some rain in Indiana, but we got a years worth in the first 5 months so I'm not sure what we can expect.
We could use some rain in Indiana, but we got a years worth in the first 5 months so I'm not sure what we can expect.
hrbelgians
Well-known member
mnmtranching":l4l7gwgs said:The herd goes on full hay tomorrow. Oh well, we got 2 1/2 months of grazing this year up from the 2 months last year.
WOW, 2-1/2 months only?? :shock: Is that normal?
Here we started in late April and plan on going till at least Febuarary, unless something really goes south on us! Of course we need some rain in order for this to hold out, but usually we can.
OP
OP
mnmtranching
Well-known member
Normal the last 3 of 4 years, I don't know whats happening. Lots of precipe when we don't need it. We had 50 plus inches of snow in April. A couple of cloudburst in early June, still we are 7 inches under the 60 year average since the first of May.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
The interesting thing about a multi year drought in a marginal row crop area is where is the profit? Buying hay to feed 1600 pound cows does not appear attractive right now. Guys that plowed up hay fields and pastures to chase the 5 or 6 dollar corn are often getting creamed by input costs. There seems to be a couple workable approaches in recent years, and half of them go back to the way Grandpa farmed:
Hay (mostly reed canary) meadows - - no inputs and a decent selling price
Plant wheat - low inputs and lower moisture requirements
Buy revenue insurance for corn - - get a government subsidized check and some silage to boot
Plant trees - - get a government check and sit in your deer stand rather than a tractor seat
Hay (mostly reed canary) meadows - - no inputs and a decent selling price
Plant wheat - low inputs and lower moisture requirements
Buy revenue insurance for corn - - get a government subsidized check and some silage to boot
Plant trees - - get a government check and sit in your deer stand rather than a tractor seat
grannysoo
Well-known member
We still have grass, but started feeding hay last week. Seems to make the grass last longer and keep the weight on the girls longer going into winter.
MistyMorning
Well-known member
Folks are getting pretty nervous around here too(Northern MN) about hay, although we did much better than last year on yield (early season moisture), a lot of them sold this years thinking they would get another cutting (bad gamble IMHO) Didn't put cows on pasture till third week of May, to wet. Pasture looks like crap now and everyone is moving them on hay fields temporarily, so not feeding hay YET.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
MistyMorning":7q86c8y7 said:
Been there done that... but you pay a price the next spring when there is less forage from a weakened stand.
Better sometimes to call the trucker.
OP
OP
mnmtranching
Well-known member
Dry land farming is almost a thing of the past in this area. I bet 90% of the farmland has a pivot on it. 40's, half circles on 80's and many quarters. I looked in irrigation 15 years ago, I don't have a 40 without a wetland or a stream. The irrigated crops are excellent, most corn will do 200 bushel and better.
I have 100 acres of dry land corn. Looked very good 6 weeks ago 8 ft tall, thick, but very hot and dry with brown and curled up leaves while trying to pollinate, so lots of plant. I wonder what quality the silage will be?
I have 100 acres of dry land corn. Looked very good 6 weeks ago 8 ft tall, thick, but very hot and dry with brown and curled up leaves while trying to pollinate, so lots of plant. I wonder what quality the silage will be?
That is the situation I had last year except I don't think the corn ever made much more than 6' tall. It still made decent silage, it just took more ground to make enough to get through the winter. We did have a problem chopping it though; the stalks were too dry and instead of being cut off, they seemed pull apart and out of the ground, lots of problems getting plugged up. At least being too dry was the conclusion we came up with, we kept adjusting the chopper and trying different things and couldn't figure anything else out. I guess I'll find out for sure in a few weeks when we give it another try.
Other than the extremly wet spring we've had timely rain this year. We are a little try at the moment but the leaves haven't started curling yet on the heavy ground. I would love another inch in the next few days but even if it doesn't rain again we will have a decent crop in this area.
Other than the extremly wet spring we've had timely rain this year. We are a little try at the moment but the leaves haven't started curling yet on the heavy ground. I would love another inch in the next few days but even if it doesn't rain again we will have a decent crop in this area.
Yep, same situation.... lots of rain and cool weather during the spring, and have pretty much dried up since then. With the pasture rotation was able to keep them somewhat satisfied up until 2 weeks ago. Have been putting out hay since then. Makes us worry for next year. I know we have plenty of hay to get through the winter, but not sure how much we'll have left over come spring if we have to keep feeding hay for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Our 1st crop was behind about 20% of normal (cool weather). 2nd crop was really dismal only about 20% of normal (dry) 3rd crop looks like it will be about normal to slightly above. Only because we got a couple of nice rains right after we got 2nd crop off. We held off mowing early this week as we are scheduled, fingers crossed, for rain tonight and tomorrow. Too bad it doesn't look like a soaker, but a fast moving storm. But something is better than nothing, the corn could really use it.
Usually can get a good 4 months of grazing, but the last 3 years have been way to dry to get that. Luckily inn our own situation we have been way under stocked. Only thing that has helped us out this year, is moderate temp's. I heard on the news the other day we have only had 2 days above 90 this year. VERY ODD.
Good luck to every farmer/rancher out there!
Michele
Usually can get a good 4 months of grazing, but the last 3 years have been way to dry to get that. Luckily inn our own situation we have been way under stocked. Only thing that has helped us out this year, is moderate temp's. I heard on the news the other day we have only had 2 days above 90 this year. VERY ODD.
Good luck to every farmer/rancher out there!
Michele
