Hay and Rain

[Chuckie]

There is a hayfield around the house here that I have babied. I guess it has been a bit of an obsession this year since I see it everytime I look out. It has such a good stand of clover and O.G. with a wee bit of fescue. Each time I see one Curly Dock pop up, I go cut the seed head off, bag it, and spray the leaves with 2,4-D. I have attacked any other weeds that appeared.

There has been rain about every other day here, just enough to ruin a cutting of hay. As thick as the field is, it will take a long time for it to dry when it is cut. It has been a difficult call to make.

Now the O.G. and fescue are going to seed. The clover is blooming and some of the flowers have dried. The protein dropped when it got past the boot stage, and gets lower as the seed are formed. This hurts me!

If it doesn't stop raining, then the cool season grass (OG) will go dormant by the time we can cut it. There will be a lot of yellow undergrowth and re-growth will not come back until it gets closer to fall. But I had rather the protein level drop and be good hay than for the protein level to be high, and get rained on. I hate these two choices!

I have noticed two fields of hay in this area that were cut this past week, then a heavy rain came. They teddered it again then baled it when it dried. I noticed that the color changed after the second raking. I was afraid that was going to happen. I hope that it doesn't mold on the gentleman.

We were hoping to get at least three cuttings this year on this field. The warm blast we had this spring caused everything to kick in early and mature quicker. It looks doubtful now.

I don't know why things aren't working out like they are supposed to. I hope eveyone else is having better luck with their hay fields.
Chuckie

 

[farmerjohn]

You should have went ahead and cut it. Hay that has been wet and discolored is still better (protein wise) than overly mature hay. Of course, I am not talking about hay that has been baled too green, just hay that was rained on and dried properly before baling.

 

[hayray]

Just leave it, having over-mature hay is way less risky than looseing a field. We always have the same problem here with the O.G. Once it is already past flowering it holds its nutrition at that level for the most part, so just wait for the weather to get right. I know I used to get that way every time I saw the first person in my area start cutting hay. Rain causes significant looses of plant material as well as decrease of nutrition and mold problems and if you loose it you have really lost.

 

[bob g]

Here in Central Mississippi we will swap you some hot, dry weather for some of that rain...

A spider has took up roost in my rain gauge.

 

[dun]

Last year we had hay down for 9 days before I finally was able to bale it. Looked like crap but the cows ate it and did ok over the winter on it. I did ted it every day between rain showers and that helped it to not get funky slimey

dun

 

[Chuckie]

Today I saw people cutting hay and raking it. Heavy thunderstorms are supposed to move in today with hail and damaging winds. Then the temps are supposed to drop to 70 for two days. I wondered if they had listened to the weather report. Next week, the sun is supposed to shine every day. Sounds like a good week to cut hay.
Chuckie

 

[plbcattle]

Well, most have read I have bought my first hay equip and land. Cut, let dry,and raked. I had my baler delivered today and they set up the monitor and got everything up and running. i got 5 bales done and the bottom fell out. Oh Well, I guess that tedder I was asking about is now a necessity. I guess it never fails. I have learned my lesson about cussing the rain gods. NEVER AGAIN. It can rain as often as it wants. I have been dry as a bone for over 2 years. I will take it even if it comes every 2 or 3 days. by the way I made 5 of the most pretty bales you have ever seen. LOL