Hay Question

[bwl1101]

I'm putting some new ground into hay in the spring, The last several years I've been buying mostly grass hay. I want to put this new ground into something fairly high quality for some cow/calf pairs. Can anyone suggest something.We are in central Ohio, also suggest some seeding rates.Thanks :?:

 

[buckaroo_bif]

10 - 12 lbs.per acre of common variety alfalfa works for us. But then I am not sure about your location
bif.

 

[bwl1101]

I guess something else i need to know is would you mix some timothy or some other grasses with the alfalfa? I have straight alfalfa that we use for the horses(race quality) but not enough for the cattle to, that is why I want this mixture for cattle.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

We don't mix it. Lots of folks do just not somethng you see done around here. We raise alfalfa to sell and feed. If we want it mixed we do so when feeding.
bif

 

[msscamp]

Have you considered talking to your local county extension office? They would be in the best position to make suggestions about what works for your area with regard to rainfall, etc., and also help you with the soil test to determine what your soil is lacking, if anything. We raise alfalfa and feed it to the cows, but ours are used to it. If yours aren't alfalfa can cause bloat and the runs. There are a lot of good grasses out there than can be mixed with the alfalfa, but I don't know which ones will grow in your area and which ones won't. Another option would be grass mixed with some type of clover.

 

[CattleAnnie]

The tricky thing about alfalfa (at least what I've seen up here), is that it sure doesn't like getting it's feet wet. Grows well on slopes and on the tops of the rolling hills in the hayfields, but tends to die out in the low spots.

Have noticed that the clover seems to handle the wetter areas a bit better, but not much in the way of regrowth if you're hoping for a second cut (I dream about having a long enough growing season for that) or if you want to run some cattle on the regrowth (we do that after the frost sets in and the chances of bloat are reduced, as well as keeping the ground hard enough to avoid having it punched down by the cows hooves).

Maybe go for a coffee at your neighbours places, and see what types of forage they've found grows best in your local soil and terrain conditions.

Good luck with it.


Take care.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Alfalfa and orchard grass are great if you have the drainage and the rainfall. Adding a little brome provides a stronger sod. Alfalfa and improved reed canary grass is an up and coming combination for long rotations. I planted 7# alfalfa, 5# red clover, and 8# reed canary together last spring and got a hell of a thick stand, but there was really too much red clover...

All states have productions trial reports and seeding rate recommendations. Do not skrimp.

 

[ChrisB]

I don't like to go straight alfalfa for a couple reasons. One is if we get a real wet spell it will not recover in the low areas. Also if you get winter kill you have nothing left. I think the last field I went with 10# alfalfa, and a couple pounds of orchard and timothy. I will be seeding some more this spring I think and I am going to look into something else, maybe some canary as Steve mentioned.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

Alfalfa grows great in Oklahoma. I am not saying it is right for everywhere it just works well for us. I guess that is why we are called Alfalfa County!