Equip Recomendations

[skyhightree1]

fence the 5acs an let the cows graze it.then buy a 60hp tractor an loader shredder an posthole digger.an buy your hay.

I agree 5 acres isnt worth buying the right equipment for the job. It is actually way cheaper to buy your hay then to buy all the equipment and then process the hay yourself.

 

[fargus]

AC,
It's a concept - and a reality - that many folks have a hard time accepting.
I made my peace with it years ago.

I've got a good hay supplier who produces a top quality product at a reasonable price; he delivers my yearly supply in three semi-loads - usually all on the same day. My whole 'haying' season is one or two days - max, to get it all stacked and covered.
No big bank note, no depreciating equipment, no breakdowns, no watching for a stretch of decent dry weather and still ending up cutting overmature low-quality grass, no worries about it raining on the crop while it's on the ground, etc. The cows harvest ALL the forage grown on this place; it's the cheapest, most profitable way to do it.

Well Lucky P you are lucky to have such a supplier. Here's the problem I have always had by not owning my own equipment: My hay is ready to cut in perfect condition, and so is everyone else's. The hayman says "I've got you on my list" by the time he gets to me the hay is overly mature and lost some of its quality. All the things you mention that you don't have to worry about-why doesn't your hay supplier have to worry about those (dry weather,low quality,rain) or are you his only customer? My cows now harvest my hay ground now too, but only after I had found other areas of hay ground at very reasonable prices.

The way I read it, it sounds like Lucky is purchasing hay; not getting a custom operator in to cut his. Then you are in control of the quality you are willing to purchase. Most of the cash hay croppers here have an outlet for low-quality stuff. As a cow-calf man I will take the rained on, overly mature, or otherwise lower quality hay; if the price is right. I can feed that during the second trimester and the cows do fine on it. I only need high quality hay during the last trimester, and we calve on grass. If I feed really good hay all winter I have fat cows, unless we severely limit-feed, which I don't like for ruminal health reasons.

 

[preston39]

......... "I can feed that during the second trimester and the cows do fine on it. I only need high quality hay during the last trimester, and we calve on grass. If I feed really good hay all winter I have fat cows, unless we severely limit-feed"...
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Fargus,
What kind of hay do you refer where cows will get fat vs maintaining body score?
What kind of feed do you provide that you feel you would have to limit?