Ive got a problem

[Cross-7]

I have a little over 50 acres of this.
You can see the height compared to the fence and T-post.
I'd like to turn enough cows in on it to graze it down, stomp, trample, crap on and take it down to dirt by spring.

How many cows is it going to take ?

 

[Bigfoot]

Won't be long you can burn it.

 

[Rafter S]

The picture is small and I can't see it larger, but it looks like it might be Johnsongrass. If it is, and you turn cows on it this late in the year, you stand a good chance of having dead cows on your hands.

 

[Cross-7]

Its haygrazer. I'd like to buy some cheap breds this winter and utilize it.
That and I want to push all that organic matter in to the soil

 

[1982vett]

Bigger problem...your probably due first frost within 30 days? Cow to the acre might get it done but then what?

Few cows then a tractor and a shredder.

 

[Cross-7]

Bigger problem...your probably due first frost within 30 days? Cow to the acre might get it done but then what?

Few cows then a tractor and a shredder.

The plan is to turn in after the first hard freeze
Try to stock heavy but I'll need it to hold them till after the first of the year.
I have hay if if plays out too soon
I was thinking in the 20-25 head

 

[callmefence]

Johnson grass or SS, don't matter
You don't have a problem, you've got a lot of good feed. Graze it now or stockpile it for winter. Just don't graze 2 weeks after last mild frost. Hard frost you don't need to worry unless you had a mild frost within 2 weeks period.
If it made that kinda seed it nitrates should be ok.

https://youtu.be/a6ZMw9Os5gA

 

[1982vett]

Bigger problem...your probably due first frost within 30 days? Cow to the acre might get it done but then what?

Few cows then a tractor and a shredder.

The plan is to turn in after the first hard freeze
Try to stock heavy but I'll need it to hold them till after the first of the year.
I have hay if if plays out too soon
I was thinking in the 20-25 head

Sounds like a plan...you could get a short bred needing some tlc for a little over $625 here this week.

 

[ClinchValley]

That's a nice big problem you have there.

 

[Cross-7]

This was cut and left in windrows and grew back as you see in the picture.
I waited for a hard freeze then after it dried up good I turned the cows in on it.
They've been on it about a month now and finnaly beginning to knock a dent in it.
I figured I'd have to supplement with cake but they stay in on it and only come out for water and seem to be doing good on it.
They mostly eat what's windrowed on the ground but have learned to push the stalks down to get the grain heads.

I haven't had to feed any hay and it seems to be working really well.
I might try this again next spring but I feel safer with millet.

Will millet produce as much feed as haygrazer?

 

[callmefence]

This was cut and left in windrows and grew back as you see in the picture.
I waited for a hard freeze then after it dried up good I turned the cows in on it.
They've been on it about a month now and finnaly beginning to knock a dent in it.
I figured I'd have to supplement with cake but they stay in on it and only come out for water and seem to be doing good on it.
They mostly eat what's windrowed on the ground but have learned to push the stalks down to get the grain heads.

I haven't had to feed any hay and it seems to be working really well.
I might try this again next spring but I feel safer with millet.

Will millet produce as much feed as haygrazer?

Not even close

 

[Cross-7]

I read a little about the potential prussic acid in different plants.
Is there any variety that'll produce like the haygrazer with low prussic acid potential ?

 

[callmefence]

I read a little about the potential prussic acid in different plants.
Is there any variety that'll produce like the haygrazer with low prussic acid potential ?

Most newer strains of haygrazer have a relatively low level of pa accumulation. You still need to be aware of it. But it's really not a big deal with just a little common sense management.
Fwiw ALL plants form pa. I know off a entire group of roping steers near here killed by pa in tifton Bermuda grass..

https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2012/06/26/exper ... -incident/

 

[Cross-7]

 

[greybeard]

You can see the problem with that chart tho Cross7. It leaves too many forages off and people tend to assume anything not on it won't ever have prussic acid problems.
very low does not=never...as recent history and the link Fence posted shows.

 

[Cross-7]

May be wrong but it seems broad leaf plants are the problem.
I'm thinking maybe milo and after harvest and hard freeze turn in cattle.

Thoughts ?

 

[greybeard]

I don't know much about milo.
PA can accumulate after fertilize and a rain..or after drought and sudden green up when rains come. Anything that stresses the forage.

I think the Tifton Fence linked to was said to have been caused by a number of things, including the calves having a tough day being transported and lush growth but it wasn't in cold weather iirc.

 

[Texasmark]

This was cut and left in windrows and grew back as you see in the picture.
I waited for a hard freeze then after it dried up good I turned the cows in on it.
They've been on it about a month now and finnaly beginning to knock a dent in it.
I figured I'd have to supplement with cake but they stay in on it and only come out for water and seem to be doing good on it.
They mostly eat what's windrowed on the ground but have learned to push the stalks down to get the grain heads.

I haven't had to feed any hay and it seems to be working really well.
I might try this again next spring but I feel safer with millet.

Will millet produce as much feed as haygrazer?

Seriously doubt it even with millet seeds touching each other on all sides. Again, Prussic Acid is hard to catch and can be deadly. I hay both JG and SS but don't put cows on it late in the season, drought stressed, and who knows when the first frost will hit.....Halloween is the norm but there is a variable around that date. I thought I found it on JG leaves one year as a white powder you could skim off the leaves with your thumb and forefinger but nobody would confirm it.

 

[Cross-7]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/WCAit_O7Aio[/youtube]

 

[Cross-7]

Farm ground today