Hay Yields & One Year After Drought

[ffamom]

Our 1st cutting was down right scary...only half of what we normally get and that seems to be the norm in the area. This is my 1st experience after a significant drought. Is anyone else experiencing this too?

We do have enough to get us through the winter if we don't have to feed this summer. I hope the fields can rebound quickly.

 

[JSCATTLE]

My hay fields have produced like normal . But I didn't scalp them or graze them during the drought . We are about 7 inches above normal on rain fall this year .

 

[john250]

Losing half your first cutting sux. I spent thousands the year a late frost cost me half a first cutting. I'm glad I fed them, although it was a debateable proposition at the time. Half the first cutting is half the crop, or better. Better start thinking about it know.

 

[1982vett]

Had a fantastic first cutting. However it was all winter grasses that had above average moisture and the best growing conditions. Summer grasses that are supposed to be growing gangbusters right now are noticably absent and in need of rain. The next phase of inadequate rain is here.

 

[bigbull338]

well i guess you can say that we got real lucky.we had 17acs of rye grass clover an vetch baled an it made close to 40 bales.he is supposed to start baling 40acs or 60acs of real good coastal today.depending on how much he cut sat.from what i seen of the field it should make between 150 an 200 round bales.

 

[herofan]

I'm in KY and we got 80 rolls from what produced 130 last year. All our neighbors are reporting the same. We haven't experienced an extreme drought, but other farmers, more experienced than I, say we lacked rain at a critical time during the spring.

 

[hayray]

My first crop is half the yield. We got late frost after great spring growth, combined with some winter kill, and weevil damage. I would say nationally on the East half of the country we are gonna be in trouble for hay stocks.

 

[TexasBred]

Neighbor has a small field behind me. 2 years ago it cut 16 5x6 rolls....no cutting last year because of the drought...cut it two weeks ago and got 3 rolls.

 

[ffamom]

We didn't graze our field and we don't scalp them when we bale. I do believe we will get a 2nd cutting if the grasshoppers don't eat it all 1st.

 

[whitecow]

Had a fantastic first cutting. However it was all winter grasses that had above average moisture and the best growing conditions. Summer grasses that are supposed to be growing gangbusters right now are noticably absent and in need of rain. The next phase of inadequate rain is here.

That is our situation also. Great cutting of oats, but there is no coastal to cut now. Just waiting for rain.

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

I put up my first cutting this last weekend. It is only the second season to own this field, so I am still trying to figure out what is "normal" production. I think it is about a 50 acre field.

This year, I got 104 bales from the first cutting of bermuda/Johnson grass mix. Last year in the midst of the Oklahoma drought, I only got 60 bales from the first cutting.

So, I got a little better than 2 bales to the acre this year. That feels MUCH better than this time last year.