Hay dilemma...

[Andrew]

Hello,
I have 100ac in crops: 25ac/Oats, 25ac/Wheat, and 50ac/Ryegrass-clover mix. All fertilized in December. In in Navarro county, North-Central Texas.

This is the first time I ever planted any wintercrops. I am trying to figure out what to do with these crops since I don't have any haying equipment nor do I want to feed hay to my cows. I have a few cows and the remaining bermuda pastures and native is enough to carry me through the winter. Last time I fed hay was 3 years ago. I only have 12 cows and an additional 100 acres: 40 in Tifton 85 and 60 in native.

You may be wondering why I planted the crops in the first place. The reason is that the 100 acres were covered in sunflowers and I wanted to get rid of them. The extension agent said that would be my best option and I agreed with the intention of experimenting. I spent a total of $5,000 in all and would like to at least make that back, if possible.

I am thinking of three options:
1) Have someone bale it and pay for it with hay. Then sell the excess.
2) Find someone to bale it for a fee and then sell the bales.
3) Trade the crops for some cows.

I actually posed #3 above to a neighbor but he hasn't answered me yet.

Given that I lack the equipment and the need for hay, I think #3 would be my best option.

I would like opinions or perhaps other ideas of what to do with so much grass.


Thanks,
Andrew

 

[novatech]

Buy stockers and graze it.
Rent it and charge by the lb. of gain.
Turn it under for green manure.
Sell the crop standing and they can do what they want.

Remember if you remove the crop, you remove the nutrients and they will have to be replaced at an expense.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks, I hadn't thought about renting it for grazing.

I plan to sprig the land next year so I probably am better off keeping the nutrients locally.

Thanks again.

Andrew

 

[3MR]

I dont think I would turn it under even if I was going to sprig it. Even with the price of fertilizer I think you would get your money back harvesting it. I would do it via stockers, regardless if they were yours or contract grazing. If you only take a cow crop off your still going to see a return from the manure comparable to if you plowed it under.

If the price of hay stays up, you could easily see a profit on baling as well, but you wouldnt get the same fertilizer return that you would otherwise.

 

[bigbull338]

I dont think I would turn it under even if I was going to sprig it. Even with the price of fertilizer I think you would get your money back harvesting it. I would do it via stockers, regardless if they were yours or contract grazing. If you only take a cow crop off your still going to see a return from the manure comparable to if you plowed it under.

If the price of hay stays up, you could easily see a profit on baling as well, but you wouldnt get the same fertilizer return that you would otherwise.

plowing it under would be a waste pure an simple.i dont care if i didnt feed hay to my cows in winter.id bale that 100acs an sale it for $30 to $35 a roll maybe more.you can make $10 to $15 a bale profit after baling cost.i wish i had 100ac of winter pasture.id pull the baler in an roll it all up.

 

[LonghornRanch]

If you bale it PM me. I will buy some of it!

I wish I had your problems! (wink)