Pearl Millet Hay

[Massey135]

Im having about 60 acres custom plowed this week to go ahead and plant for summer hay. This land is weak all together. Shallow topsoil pretty clayey, - its never been improved. We haven't really utilized the land in the past but with the droughts in the past I am going to plant something try to get max number of bales. Obviously I don't want just crap hay but the pendulum is swinging towards quantity over quality. I am intersted in the Pearl Millet- no experience w/ it other than what I can find online. I know of all the concerns as far as the nitrates and so forth-

Does anyone have experience with Pearl Millet for hay? and if so which varieties- Leafty 23, etc. If you have another summer annual youd suggest over Pearl Millet, Im welcoming suggestions- Looking for max output with low Nitrogen application- $515/ton for 33-0-0 :shock: no thanks.

 

[bigbull338]

if you have ideal growing conditions for pearl millet,you can get 2 good cutting easy off of it.an then 2 or 3wks after the last cutting let the cows graze it out.

 

[LRTX1]

Not sure but I think getting it dry enough to bale is a concern.

 

[KNERSIE]

Not sure but I think getting it dry enough to bale is a concern.

I agree, its probably better suited for baleage rather than hay.

 

[1982vett]

Not sure but I think getting it dry enough to bale is a concern.

all ya need if 4-5 days without rain....pretty easy around July-August in Texas....

 

[Massey135]

thats kinda what I was thinking vet. Is it not similar in type to a sudan or haygrazer as far as cutting/curing goes?

Im cutting the wheat tomorrow evening hopefully. Expect it to take 4-5 days to cure. Looking to get 3 5x6 per acre on 15 acres.

~45 bales- might have $800 in seed/fertilizer and Ill cut and rake it myself and have it baled for $12/role. ~$1340 -maybe $50 fuel for cut and rake.
~45 bales less than $1400 $31/bale I like it.

 

[1982vett]

thats kinda what I was thinking vet. Is it not similar in type to a sudan or haygrazer as far as cutting/curing goes?

Im cutting the wheat tomorrow evening hopefully. Expect it to take 4-5 days to cure. Looking to get 3 5x6 per acre on 15 acres.

~45 bales- might have $800 in seed/fertilizer and Ill cut and rake it myself and have it baled for $12/role. ~$1340 -maybe $50 fuel for cut and rake.
~45 bales less than $1400 $31/bale I like it.

Ahhh...have you priced the seed?

 

[Massey135]

That was cost for the wheat hay I'm bout to bale.

 

[1982vett]

Yeah....I was quoted $83 a bag for pearl millet last month....

 

[LRTX1]

Just paid 66 a bag here last week.

 

[Massey135]

how many lbs/acre are you planting?

 

[LRTX1]

I drill at 35-40 lbs an acre. Might could get away with less.

 

[circlew]

Priced some $73 dollars a bag here yesterday. :cry2:

 

[Brute 23]

Worked for a guy in Waco who got at least 2 cuttings a year on pearl millet.... Almost 400 bales per cutting. Never heard the cattle complain about it. He sold quite a bit also.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Worked for a guy in Waco who got at least 2 cuttings a year on pearl millet.... Almost 400 bales per cutting. Never heard the cattle complain about it. He sold quite a bit also.

Per acre? :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[Massey135]

kinda my thoughts, anazazi. How many acres we talking about? Anything else with similar yields, drought resistance, that doesn't seed doesn't cost as much.

 

[Brute 23]

I don't know the exact acreage.... Probably around 100.

 

[marksmu]

We did browntop millet two years ago - wet when we planted got real dry...we cut 118 5x5 bales on 19 acres...one cutting. It rained and got too wet to cut before we could get it cut so it ended up being about 4 feet tall when we cut it. Had about 40% gone to seed....cows loved it. They ripped down an electric fence to get to the hay when they were standing on green bermuda.

 

[Massey135]

We did browntop millet two years ago - wet when we planted got real dry...we cut 118 5x5 bales on 19 acres...one cutting. It rained and got too wet to cut before we could get it cut so it ended up being about 4 feet tall when we cut it. Had about 40% gone to seed....cows loved it. They ripped down an electric fence to get to the hay when they were standing on green bermuda.

how much nitrogen you put out to get those yields?