Making hay vs buying it.

[novaman]

In my opinion this question is a judgement call. I can't help but notice that most of the people to reply are from the south. I would think that if you can feed your cows with just a few bales each year then buying the hay would be within reason. For us guys up north it isn't quite that easy. I can easily figure on 6,7, or even 8 bales per cow per year. I'm making 3,000+ bales per year. I would have to sell the farm just to buy enough hay to feed my herd. Also, since the price of hay is constantly changing it can be a good idea to buy hay one year but the next year it could be outrageously expensive to do.

 

[sillco]

No hay equipment, just a tractor, I will only have 10 or 20 young cows to start. How many bales per month will each one eat. If they all weigh around 900lbs. I'm green on this business. I just love this farm life and the people in this business.

Depending on where in Georgia you are, an adult cow will need about 25 to 35 pounds of hay per day during the winter with free choce loose minerals. Adjust amount by observing body condition, no bones showing and little fat, not enough to form around the tail head but enough to cover the pin bones.

 

[J. T.]

I stockpiled tall fescue (KY 31) this year and I've fed a little corn on the coldest days. My cows look good, harvest their own forage, and I didn't have the expense of buying and hauling hay. If fertilizer costs don't prohibit it, I'll put more acreage into stockpiled fescue this fall. Dr. Don Ball of Auburn University (War Eagle!) says a farmer told him, concerning winter forages, that the best thing about them is "you don't have to haul it!"

 

[buckaroo_bif]

There's a lot to consider on this Frenchie. If you want to run good equipment then I don't see anyway to pay for it without doing custom work. We still get 10 dollars per round bale 10 dollars an acre to swath 4 dollars to rake. It's the only way to pay for putting up your own hay and being able to run decent equipment. It's easy to get a couple hundred thousand dollars tied up in haying equipment..!

 

[frenchie]

There's a lot to consider on this Frenchie. If you want to run good equipment then I don't see anyway to pay for it without doing custom work. We still get 10 dollars per round bale 10 dollars an acre to swath 4 dollars to rake. It's the only way to pay for putting up your own hay and being able to run decent equipment. It's easy to get a couple hundred thousand dollars tied up in haying equipment..!

Thats kinda of what I was thinking...But even with good equipment .I don,t have the time to cut and bale for anyone else unless I hire a couple of men. Not so sure i want to add even more bills..I curently work with a neighbor..Even in a bad weather yr we will pump out close to 6000 big rounds

 

[buckaroo_bif]

How many cuttings do you get in a season up there? That's a bunch of bales I'm assuming you may get only two or three cuttings?
We got five last year six in one field. We put up about 500 acres per month of alfalfa plus other smaller jobs.
well gotta go check on them gol durn heifers

later

 

[frenchie]

How many cuttings do you get in a season up there? That's a bunch of bales I'm assuming you may get only two or three cuttings?
We got five last year six in one field. We put up about 500 acres per month of alfalfa plus other smaller jobs.
well gotta go check on them gol durn heifers

later

Usually only 2

In wild hay or greenfeed only 1

This following pic was my nightmare a field of frozen oats .My neighbors cutter was out of commission,so we swathed it.lots of tonnage

 

[CattleAnnie]

Colour me green with envy, Frenchie.

We only get one cutting here...not long enough growing season, I guess.


Take care.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

What do you all have for native grass up there? We have little and big bluestem indiangrass and switchgrass.
well I had a nice suprise went to check on the heifers and there was another one already on the ground and getting licked off!
looks like some heavy oats there frenchie!

well, nap time

 

[frenchie]

What do you all have for native grass up there? We have little and big bluestem indiangrass and switchgrass.

Hmm where to start...needle thread, little bluestem,needlegrass,awned sedge,june grass, marsh reedgrass,slough grass. some wheatgrasses..plus others even some quackgrass(couchgrass)

well I had a nice suprise went to check on the heifers and there was another one already on the ground and getting licked off!

Don,t you just love it when it all clicks and the heifer mothers up like that.