Planting Giant Bermuda

[Soggy Bottom]

I have 17 acres of some type of blue stem I recently bought. They do bale the property but I would like to change it from blue stem to a type of Bermuda. I am thinking giant Bermuda since I can seed it myself. My question is should I wait for the blue stem to come back up to spray it with gly than disk than plant the Bermuda? The blue stem is cut very short right now and can be easily disk with moisture in the ground. Any ideas on the what protein will be on the giant Bermuda? I wanted costal and that might still be an option depending on sprigging prices in my area. Thanks for help.

 

[bird dog]

Depending on the type of Bluestem, you may be getting rid of the superior grass. Success with Giant Bermuda and the protein will depend on how much you want to spend on Fertilizer and the way the hay is put up. It also is hard to keep a stand long term as common Bermuda tends to take over.

I am not trying to discourage you, I just know from experience that Bermuda seed is expensive and getting it established is not a simple project. Ground prep and getting the seed at the right depth is crucial. Sprigging is safer but you really need to have started the ground prep for it a couple months ago. It is time to put it in the ground right now. It might be wise to only do 1/3 of the pasture at a time if you wish to try seeding to see how it goes.

My cows do very well on a pasture of Bluestem, Klein grass and common bermuda.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Thanks for the input. I might just wait and weed spray what I have this year and bale it. Than next year disk it up at the right time to sprig it with coastal.

 

[Caustic Burno]

A lot of the seed varieties of Bermuda will revert back to common over a few years.

 

[Brute 23]

Any specific reason you are leaning towards coastal over tifton?

 

[Ebenezer]

Hard cold takes out Giant here so you are at the mercy of the type of winter that comes and when. If you plant a seeded blend that contains common as a % it will revert to common. If you plant a variety or a blend of varieties that are improved and do not contain common you will come out better. Dennis Hancock recommended a blend and Athens Seeds carries it as a Bulldog Blend. Worth a look and it will grow as fast as a scared rabbit.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Thanks for the info. I am not dead set on coastal. I am leaning towards a grass I can bale for cattle and horses. I have fed horses Tifton 85 in the past and they ate every piece of it. What are the advantages of planting Tifton 85 over coastal?

 

[Ebenezer]

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?pk_id=7734

 

[Soggy Bottom]

I did some reading on Tifton 85. I see where people are saying they get any where from 3-4 tons of hay from good fertilized Tifton 85. Is this correct? At 70lbs a square bale that would be roughly a 100 bales per acre. That seems high but maybe its correct. Anybody have any numbers on square bales per acre?

 

[1982vett]

It will do it with fertilizer and rain....

Being your in South Central Texas the rainfall question is the tricky part.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

As a crow flys we are 15 miles from the coast. Hopefully the coastal showers will keep it green.

 

[Brute 23]

As a crow flys we are 15 miles from the coast. Hopefully the coastal showers will keep it green.

Sandy or black ground?

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Primarily Black land

 

[M-5]

I did some reading on Tifton 85. I see where people are saying they get any where from 3-4 tons of hay from good fertilized Tifton 85. Is this correct? At 70lbs a square bale that would be roughly a 100 bales per acre. That seems high but maybe its correct. Anybody have any numbers on square bales per acre?

tonnage is correct , 85 loves the N and moisture.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

I think I have decided to plant Tifton 85 this coming spring. After talking to people around this area it seems there is a good market for horse hay. Currently I have 18 acres of what looks to be KR bluestem. My goal this spring and summer is to kill out the KR by disking and spraying it with gly. It may take a few passes between the sprayer and disk. Anyone have any other input on getting rid of KR. Should I plant a cover crop this year like a haycrazer to smother out the KR? Thanks for the input.

 

[1982vett]

You will have to forgive me, but I don't see the reasoning behind replacing a low maintenance cost forage with a high maintenance forage. All the tonnage the 85 is capable of comes at an input cost. All KR wants is sunshine and moisture.

This was a pasture where we were replacing a property line fence back in June 2016. Got the old line cleared out and it started raining. This is what it looked like about 5 weeks later just before I was able to turn the cows back in. I will confess, this is where I fed cattle through the drought in 2011.

 

[Brute 23]

There is the upfront cost of planting but after that the maintenance is fairly comparable on Tifton or KR. The upside to Tifton more than covers any additional inputs.

Once Tifton is established you can comfortably run double the stocking rate. You have the option to hay it and market that hay. There is zero market for KR hay. Tifton has a longer growing season than KR. Tifton actually responds to fertilizer. Hogs dont mess with Tifton like KR.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Bringing this back up. I am going to start disking this week. I have been told I am fighting an uphill never ending battle trying to kill out the KR bluestem. Is there any truth to this? Am I going about it the right way by disking and spraying with gly? I plan on keeping it disked up every month for the remainder of the year if need be. Thanks

 

[hurleyjd]

I have 17 acres of some type of blue stem I recently bought. They do bale the property but I would like to change it from blue stem to a type of Bermuda. I am thinking giant Bermuda since I can seed it myself. My question is should I wait for the blue stem to come back up to spray it with gly than disk than plant the Bermuda? The blue stem is cut very short right now and can be easily disk with moisture in the ground. Any ideas on the what protein will be on the giant Bermuda? I wanted costal and that might still be an option depending on sprigging prices in my area. Thanks for help.

https://workinghorseworld.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4806