Hay season off to a great start

[M-5]

5/21/18


5/27/18

Amazing what a week with water can do for your grass.

Seedhead formation would have me a little concerned though. Same thing happened to me a couple years ago after a drought and I waited too long thinking the grass would grow more when I should have just gone on and cut it and got a light cutting rather than waiting and still getting a relatively light cutting.

I'm concerned with it seeding out. As soon as I get a window I'm cutting. I've been looking at Forecast all morning trying to convince myself I can start cutting tonight.

 

[M-5]

I actually contacted Dennis Hancock last week about it. He told me it was most likely stress related. From putting out fert getting it rained in then no rain for 4 weeks.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'd agree with him. At that point it will continue to grow but not like it should. I made the mistake a few years ago to wait on more grass rather than cutting it. In the end I'd been better off cutting it because the wait cost me a cutting I think.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Too much dry matter underneath, it will ruin baleage.

I used to think that but after just giving in to mother nature I've wrapped almost dry hay or wet hay mixed with dry and had good results. I've wrapped anywhere for 10% all the way up to 70% moisture and it's turned out just fine.

Different climates and different grasses but I baled a majority of my first cut hay in September and October last fall and my cows came thru winter looking better than many other winters.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

"Generally" by Sept/Oct, we have lots of undergrowth, which adds a lot of food value.
I'm not going to argue one way or other, I really don't have a clue - but, my hired hay crew only had one experience doing what I will have and they all rotted - so, I'll let him make the call. It's not just mixing wet w/ dry, the dry is old and rotting (sat under snow all year).
And yes, all the "experts" say it HAS to be a certain moisture, but, we do not go by the book. We have had hay that was "hours" away from being ready to roll up dry, and the weather turned. Rolled all up & wrapped. Perfect.
They generally mow in the morning, have lunch, and go right to baling. Sometimes, it sets for 1 day.
We have had it pouring out while they were baling. Still, just fine, no problem curing & feeding. Did we lose some feed value??? Don't know, but by the condition of my cattle each year coming out of winter, I would say no - or at least not enough to affect wintering beef cattle (even some nursing ----- well, all mine are nursing if you consider the fact that we start calving in January LOL)

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I've baled and wrapped the stuff your describing last year's unbaled hay or brush hogged grass and never had any problems other than you get that stuff in your baleage. Got a field of it myself that I plan to do here in a few weeks, had it all raked up last summer then had a breakdown and never got it baled so this year I will be mowing and baling thru those year old windrows and wrapping the up. Usually end up with a field like that every year. Haha

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I've baled and wrapped the stuff your describing last year's unbaled hay or brush hogged grass and never had any problems other than you get that stuff in your baleage. Got a field of it myself that I plan to do here in a few weeks, had it all raked up last summer then had a breakdown and never got it baled so this year I will be mowing and baling thru those year old windrows and wrapping the up. Usually end up with a field like that every year. Haha

It sure would be a lot EASIER to let them bale it off. I'll have to think about that. I would be looking at about 50-75 bales. Lot of bales to pay for AND get rid of if bad. Any one else with this issue before?
Being in Michigan, you have similar weather here.