Hay opinion

[MurraysMutts]

Thoughts...
Nitrates are low correct?
Not enough info to say much or what?
I'm curious as to what nutritional value this hay has.

 

[dvcochran]

That is pretty low CP.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Thanks. Idk what is good nor bad as far as values.
Dont they normally test for other things too?
It's mostly Johnson grass. And it's priced pretty cheap.

 

[Silver]

Anything under 1,000 ppm nitrates is safe. They say cows can get by on that CP. But it is low. Be nice to know the rest of the info.

 

[1982vett]

Oh heck. 8.4 % isn't all that low. Just a little good grazing will make up the difference. Especially the way folks like to supplement feed their cattle. ;-)

 

[MurraysMutts]

Oh heck. 8.4 % isn't all that low. Just a little good grazing will make up the difference. Especially the way folks like to supplement feed their cattle. ;-)

I dont feed a lot.
Cows get cubes 2 times a week. Winter time.
I dont fully understand all the feed values.
I guess that should've been the title. Lol
So 8.4 is fairly low for hay??
Most of my hay is better, or what I believe to be better. I dont test it. Perhaps I should.
I have wheat hay and what my friend calls "horse quality" Bermuda this year. And some crabgrass from last year. But the cows dont seem to care much for the crabgrass.
Anyway... what should one look for in hay feed values?

 

[1982vett]

Texasbred can give you the particulars to supplement by feed..but this is where the winter grazing...oats, wheat, ryegrass ect. Is the ticket. For a lactating beef cow, just a little grazing will make up the 2% shortfall your 8.4% hay creates. Actually, I'd say it's ideal. I'd let them graze a while then take them hay and close them out. Alternating between grazing and haying. Weather turns bad you could use your better hay or go to the cubes.

I've got some 6.8% prairie hay to get rid of this year. I'll dedicate a ring to it or roll some out if it gets wet and muddy. But in the spring when they loosen up that's what they will get to fill them up.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Unfortunately I dont have any winter grazing wheat or anything.
This hay is 25 bucks a bale. Honestly I'm not sure how it hasn't sold yet. I really dont need any but it's always nice to have more than a guy needs.

Now I wanna have some of mine tested...

 

[bird dog]

The age old dilemma. Spend your money on fertilizer to get the protein content on your hay higher or supplement with tubs or cubes and spend your money thataway. This old cotton land that I grow grass on is almost impossible to get the fertility to a level that will produce hay that yields 10% so most of mine yields about what yours is.

Similar to what Vette does I plant some oats and Rye grass and they get that when they rotate to it plus a few 30% tubs through the winter. They are lactating with fall calves and seem to do fine. They get a little thin come late February but put it all back on by early April.

I can't afford to produce 10% protein hay.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Don't know what you would feed it to but if cows were only getting this hay,you need to supplement about 1.5-2# of protein for lactating cows, and a pound for non lactating cows. Depending on cow and calf size and weather. Need some supplement energy too.

 

[callmefence]

Any dry cow that can't come through winter on 8 percent and a little winter grass needs to go to town.

 

[1982vett]

The age old dilemma. Spend your money on fertilizer to get the protein content on your hay higher or supplement with tubs or cubes and spend your money thataway. This old cotton land that I grow grass on is almost impossible to get the fertility to a level that will produce hay that yields 10% so most of mine yields about what yours is.

Similar to what Vette does I plant some oats and Rye grass and they get that when they rotate to it plus a few 30% tubs through the winter. They are lactating with fall calves and seem to do fine. They get a little thin come late February but put it all back on by early April.

I can't afford to produce 10% protein hay.

I hear you... but I was happily surprised this year. My first cut ryegrass/Bermuda cut the middle of May (hasn't been fertilized in 3 years and 4 cuttings) tested 10.0%. (Last year cut end of May went 6.4%). Ordinary under utilized pasture had cows on it till first of May ( no fertilizer in 15 years) rested 3 weeks tested 10.1%. Bermuda/clover mix tested 13.5% no fertilizer in 2 years, 3rd cutting without (Last year cut end of May tested 10.6%).

Just saying....

 

[kenny thomas]

I can't afford to produce 10% protein hay.
[/quote]

I guess I am lucky to have the soils and grasses I have. I would not be happy at all with 10% protein grass or hay.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I can't afford to produce 10% protein hay.

I guess I am lucky to have the soils and grasses I have. I would not be happy at all with 10% protein grass or hay.
[/quote]

What kind of protein ya'll get up there Kenny?
Something better than ol Johnson grass I imagine?

 

[kenny thomas]

I can't afford to produce 10% protein hay.

I guess I am lucky to have the soils and grasses I have. I would not be happy at all with 10% protein grass or hay.

What kind of protein ya'll get up there Kenny?
Something better than ol Johnson grass I imagine?
[/quote]
I depend more on grazing than I do hay. I can stockpile fescue for the winter at 18-19% protein but can't make hay that good. Kinda odd isn't it.
Johnson grass is good when cut or grazed knee high.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Makes sense.
This Johnson grass was like 6 foot tall when cut. Pretty stemmy.
I'm gonna pass on it. Glad I dont need any really bad.
But at 25 a bale it would beat nothing for sure

 

[kenny thomas]

Makes sense.
This Johnson grass was like 6 foot tall when cut. Pretty stemmy.
I'm gonna pass on it. Glad I dont need any really bad.
But at 25 a bale it would beat nothing for sure

If it was 6'tall it would have been stemmy and tough. Lot of waste. Sometimes cheap hay isn't as cheap as higher price hay that's much better. I gave $12 for a few 4x5 rolls last year because they were in the field next door. I wasted $10 a roll of my money plus got weed seed I will have to spray for a few years. Cheap wasn't cheap.