kerley":kedv69zz said:
Need advise on what grasses make the best feed. In my area of Alabama the top three to plant this time of year is as follows.
Dallasgrass, Johnsongrass, and Bahia.
Which makes the best feed for cattle and can I mix these varieties.
I am only planting about one half acre to see if my cows like it.
Tom.
Just remember that when you have that Tift 9 all over the farm and you are not happy with the CP and TDN that Cimmaron will do a fine job of killing it graveyard dead. hate that stuff.
Dont mean to pick on ya, but really----------
Tift 9 CP on average 8.3 % TDN is 50% at 4 weeks and 42% at 8 weeks+ which has a feed value of .083 x .5 =
0.04
Then during summer it changes to a one stem seed head with very little leaf where feed values decrease to 0.03 and under.
a 1200 lb cow grazing bahia grass nursing a 200 - 300 lb calf in June needs 2.6 lbs Total Protein: 1200 x 0.03 x
0.04= 1.44 (you're a little bit Short even in a best case scenario)
Tifton 9 Bahia grass
Will Tift 9 support 4.8 AUM's? **** NO
Does it need continual fertiliation... YES
Does it need lots of rainfall.... YES
Average crude Protein = 8.3
Average TDN 50%
one acre = 0.5 AUM's
Tiff Leaf 3 Millet 0.21 x .70 =
0.14
Will Tiff Leaf millet support 4.8+ AUM's..... YES
Does it need continual fertilization?.... NO
Does it need lots of rainfall...... NO
Average crude protein 17 %
Average TDN 71 %
a 1200 lb cow grazing TL3 millet nursing a 200 - 300 lb calf in June needs 2.6 lbs Total Protein: 2.6/
0.14 = 4 hours of grazing Millet and low quality unfertilized pasture daily. All for much less than planting and messing with Bahia.
This year, we planted Millet on April 23rd and put down 50 units of N/acre. On May 23rd, we put 6 cow calf pairs per acre on Millet limit grazing for 3-4 hours per day and we will continue to do this all summer long.
By May 23rd the Millet was 18 inches high, Nitrates measured < 900 ppm and just like every year since 1982 Millet will need an average of 1 inch per month of rainfall to grow well. Last year even with a stocking rate of 6 cow calf pairs per acre I had to mow it down 4 times (only put down 50 units of N/acre). Millet grazed to the dirt will bounce back to 12 inches tall in less than 3 weeks.
bahia grass to Tiff Leaf millet ratio (Bahia:Millet) equals 9.6 acres of bahia grass to 1 acre of tiff leaf 3 millet. Pictures coming soon!
Applying 50 units of N on bahia grass 2 times per year is a minimum and will cost you ~ $100/acre x 9.6 = $1000.00 1.2 acres per cow calf unit, but (dont forget about the supplementary feed you will be feeding so your cows will actually get their daily requirements. Lets say 4 lbs of whole cotton seed per day ($195 per ton last I checked) or 10 cents per lb x 4 lbs = 40 cents per cow per day plus a needless hassle, but your time is free, right?----- all summer. 40 cents per cow (say you have 50) 20 dollars a day x 90 days = 1800 more dollars + minerals.
50 cows grazing 60 acres of Bahia all summer = 6000 for fertilizer + 1800 for supplementary feed is $7800 not counting your time.
Applying 50 units of N on Millet 1 time per year is a minimum and will cost you ~ $50/acre x 1 acre = $50 for 6 cow calf pairs.
Say you have 50 cows and you plant 10 acres of millet ---- seed + fertilizer = $80 plus planting etc lets just say $100 per acre. $1000 dollars + minerals vs your 8000 dollar bahia grass venture....
Hmmmm, I think planting Tiff Leaf 3 Millet is a little better, but with limit grazing I have to drive out there 2 times per day to put them in and get them out, which takes under a minute to put them in and my Australian shepherd gets them out in about 3 minutes, but I don't have all the free time you do.
Just a thought