Hay Protein Question Part 2

[BTRANCH]

Ok, I need to feed a minimum of 10-12% protein hay (we will assume all lactating cows) to avoid supplements. Is it possible to obtain that high a protein count without fertilizing?

 

[BC]

Yes you can get that quality, BUT it will have to be cut at less than 28 days from the first new growth and you won't have enough yield to justify cutting.

 

[novatech]

Maybe the first time hay is cut on virgin ground. Every time you cut you remove nutrition from the soil which must be replaced.
The best you can do is research grasses that require low inputs. WW-B Dahl only requires 60 lbs. N per yr. to get 12%. But their is always a trade off. You will not get the output like you would get with Hybrids.

 

[MikeC]

Ok, I need to feed a minimum of 10-12% protein hay (we will assume all lactating cows) to avoid supplements. Is it possible to obtain that high a protein count without fertilizing?

You definitely could with a legume (soybeans, peanuts, clovers, etc.) in the mix.

The amount of protein in hay is directly proportional to the amount of nitrogen available to the plants during growth.

I don't think you'd get that amount of protein from grass hay after one cutting. Maybe. Just maybe the first cutting might.

 

[BTRANCH]

Thank you for the answers. Sometimes, when I don't know exactly how to phrase a question, I break it down, or work backwards to get my answer (sometimes it is not the answer I was hoping for).

 

[bigbull338]

to get 10% to 12% protine hay youd have put 300 to 400lbs fert to an ac.an get the timely rains .an cut an bale every 21 days.the fert would cost you $70 to $125 an ac.an even then the protine may not be that high.

 

[BC]

to get 10% to 12% protine hay youd have put 300 to 400lbs fert to an ac.an get the timely rains .an cut an bale every 21 days.the fert would cost you $70 to $125 an ac.an even then the protine may not be that high.

You could go 28 to 30 days of growth and still have the desired protein. As much as we fuss about high fertilizer costs, buying protein supplements is also expensive. Cottonseed cake (38% with 5% fat) were about $300 per ton last fall. This week they are $440 per ton.

We are all going to have to plant more legumes to be our nitrogen source. We are also going to have to consider them an annual crop because I don't think we can give up the grazing just to get them to reseed.

 

[TexasBred]

BC I'd really question that hay holding it's nutrient values that last 10 days. I know NE Texas is a bit different than Central Texas but still, it only hits "prime" once and goes downhill from there. Have seen a lot of dairies especially in East Texas go to 30 days just to get more hay but that's all they ended up with and it had less value than it would have had if cut 10 days earlier.

 

[MikeC]

BC I'd really question that hay holding it's nutrient values that last 10 days. I know NE Texas is a bit different than Central Texas but still, it only hits "prime" once and goes downhill from there. Have seen a lot of dairies especially in East Texas go to 30 days just to get more hay but that's all they ended up with and it had less value than it would have had if cut 10 days earlier.

The hay analysis I posted in the other thread came from a 39 day cutting. Wanted to cut it sooner but had to wait for the weather.

There is a balance between quality and quantity that every hay harvester needs to find.

 

[TexasBred]

BC I'd really question that hay holding it's nutrient values that last 10 days. I know NE Texas is a bit different than Central Texas but still, it only hits "prime" once and goes downhill from there. Have seen a lot of dairies especially in East Texas go to 30 days just to get more hay but that's all they ended up with and it had less value than it would have had if cut 10 days earlier.

The hay analysis I posted in the other thread came from a 39 day cutting. Wanted to cut it sooner but had to wait for the weather.

There is a balance between quality and quantity that every hay harvester needs to find.

Balance is right, but darn hard to find consistently. Can't believe your hay was 39 days old but then there are variables in everything. Heck we can't put up that kind of hay under any conditions. Would still rather have hay on the ground cut on time and getting wet than standing and going past prime.

 

[BC]

If we cut on 21 to 24 days after new growth begins we can get 15+% CP hay. 28 days is the happy medium between quality and quanity here.

If you want to boost both, you might try waiting to topdress for two weeks after grass has begun to regrow and then fertilize. Cut 2 to 3 weeks after you fertilize. Protein will be excellent and get more yield too. Another benefit is faster regrowth for another cutting as there is still some residual nutrients in the soil.