I am not the greatest hay man on the earth. I know my cows require a lot of it and it was hard to find good hay last year and the prices were crazy. My question is I buy my hay and I get it from people that have fertilized, sprayed,and sprigged bermuda grass. Which is the best cutting to buy. I have access to plenty of weed free first cutting hay. I would prefer 2nd or 3rd cutting but If we get dry like last year I would shoot myself for passing this up. Any suggestions or reccomendations. thanks
hay cutting quality
- Thread starter plbcattle
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Herefordcross
Well-known member
We never paid much attention to the cutting, the only way to get true answers is to have it tested!
hayray
Well-known member
plbcattle":1wxdoyv5 said:
We don't grow that type of grass up here but I know that our first cutting grass if it gets over-mature before we can get it baled then it is pretty low in protein and digestable energy and are below a cows requirements for energy and protein. But our first cutting alfalfa and alfalfa mix are running anywhere from 12% protein on the low end and way up to around 16%. My second goes way up to 23% sometimes and that I mix with first cutting grass. But like the other guy said, testing really tells you where you are at and if you need any supplemental energy and protein.
Ray,
plbcattle":39ptg0e4 said:
I got a suggestion.
Not one you might like, but here goes.
If it gets dry - or you think it is headed that way again - cull down to a minmum number.
Buy the hay as it comes available - take whatever you can get at a reasonable price - quality is important, but there is also a trade off. Quality versus no hay.
Remember - what may seem expensive today might be considered real cheap in two months.
Stockpile!
You can always keep the animals on a small amount of feed and mineral but you gotta' fill them up to keep them from pushing the fences.
I tell everyone that I have experienced drought. We fed our cattle straight straw for two years @ $107.50 per bale. Nearly broke us - never again.
Hay keeps for years if stored well.
You might also grab a few bales of wheat or oat straw and use it as filler. Often it is cheaper and sometimes it is easier to find.
The reduced cost can offset the transport costs.
Stockpile!
Nowadays we always throw a few bales of straw out in the field when we feed hay. They will eat it. Especially the straw that is two years or better in age. I do not know why and I do not care - but they seem to really like it.
Gather in whatever you can find to at least get you throught the better part of the year - then and only then start getting picky about the the other "stuff".
Good luck,
Bez!
Nowland Farms
Well-known member
Bez,
Did I hear you say "Stockpile" ?
Did I hear you say "Stockpile" ?
plbcattle":3pjwth0r said:
Along with the good hay, if you have the opportunity to buy some crappy hay, buy it - then mix the two, think of it as filler. The crappy hay will be cheaper (I wouldn't recommend buying equal amounts of both, but I think you catch my drift), it will extend your good hay, and the cows will do fine as long as it is not the soul source of nutrition. If you get stuck with only crappy hay, look into protein tubs. They will provide the necessary protein while encouraging the girls to make full use of the less than desirable hay. Not the best way to go, but it will work.
I'm also going to go out on a limb here and say that it's not so much the cutting that makes the difference as it is the circumstances under which the hay is grown. A lot of water - be it rain, or irrigation (I'm not sure if the type of grass plays a part or not, but I know this is true for alfalfa) - and the hay grows tall, but tends to have thicker, more plentiful stems and less leaves causing the animals to root through it to get the leaves and waste more. A little less water and the stems are finer so the animals will eat stems, and leaves. When you're buying hay pay attention to how stemmy(sp?) it is because that will be a determining factor of how well the cows eat it. More experienced members, feel free to tear me up. I'm looking to add to what I already know!
BC
Well-known member
msscamp":2owk170v said:
Tubs and syrup are more expensive than other forms of protein supplements. Look at whole cottonseed or cottonseed meal mixed with salt as a limiter as amore economical sources of protein. Some producers use soybean meal inzstead of cottonseed meal.
BC":9tqofyym said:
Valid point. I said tubs only because there is no type of cottonseed or soybean feed available in my area - to the best of my knowledge, at least - and I tend to go with I'm familiar with. My bad.
