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<blockquote data-quote="kjonesel" data-source="post: 884220" data-attributes="member: 16842"><p>I helped my son with planting 12 acres of orchard grass and timothy this fall. He worked the ground by subsoiling, discing it three times over a months period of time and then multiple times with the chain harrow, liming it with 3 tons of lime per acre along with fertilizer batched with primarily potash and phosporus. He has a wonderful stand but when he takes his imput costs and apply it to what it makes I am sure it will be shocking. Nitrogen has doubled in cost in the last 15 months and I quit keeping up with the rest of the fertilizer prices. Alfalfa seed was up this past fall and the roundup ready Alfalfa was hundreds of dollars per bag so seed has increased just as much. Hay and pasture quality ground is now renting in Southern Indiana from 75 to over 100 dollars per acre and they are waiting in line for it.</p><p>I believe that there will continue to be less hay produced over the next few years because more land is being removed from grass production and shifted to row crops. I contribute this to the ethanol industry primarily and also to the weak value of our dollar overseas allowing foreign countries to compete against domestic markets, such as the livestock industry. </p><p>What I have done is to maximize my forage efficiency by reseeding pastures, controlled grazing, multple applications of my fertilizers, and paying more attention to when I harvest my hay. In the past I always stored my round bales outside but within the next 4 months I intend to build a hay barn, knowing that the hay saved will justify the cost. Another area that I am pursuing is the ability of the Gelbvieh breed to do well strictly on grass with no grain. Though I have always seen the benefit of supplementing the cows with a small amount of grain it may impossible to continue. These are just a few of the items to consider in the year ahead and it may mean staying in business or loading the cows out.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kjonesel, post: 884220, member: 16842"] I helped my son with planting 12 acres of orchard grass and timothy this fall. He worked the ground by subsoiling, discing it three times over a months period of time and then multiple times with the chain harrow, liming it with 3 tons of lime per acre along with fertilizer batched with primarily potash and phosporus. He has a wonderful stand but when he takes his imput costs and apply it to what it makes I am sure it will be shocking. Nitrogen has doubled in cost in the last 15 months and I quit keeping up with the rest of the fertilizer prices. Alfalfa seed was up this past fall and the roundup ready Alfalfa was hundreds of dollars per bag so seed has increased just as much. Hay and pasture quality ground is now renting in Southern Indiana from 75 to over 100 dollars per acre and they are waiting in line for it. I believe that there will continue to be less hay produced over the next few years because more land is being removed from grass production and shifted to row crops. I contribute this to the ethanol industry primarily and also to the weak value of our dollar overseas allowing foreign countries to compete against domestic markets, such as the livestock industry. What I have done is to maximize my forage efficiency by reseeding pastures, controlled grazing, multple applications of my fertilizers, and paying more attention to when I harvest my hay. In the past I always stored my round bales outside but within the next 4 months I intend to build a hay barn, knowing that the hay saved will justify the cost. Another area that I am pursuing is the ability of the Gelbvieh breed to do well strictly on grass with no grain. Though I have always seen the benefit of supplementing the cows with a small amount of grain it may impossible to continue. These are just a few of the items to consider in the year ahead and it may mean staying in business or loading the cows out. [/QUOTE]
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