Siberian Hay Millet

[mnmtranching]

Anybody plant the stuff? I'm wondering if I should start cutting?
It's about 3 feet tall and a few heads are appearing.
It's thick and leafy. I do want max quantity without sacrificing protein.
I'm Wintering cows on it so 10% protein would be fine.
Will the stuff come back if I cut it before seeding?
Or would I be better off letting it head for maximum yield?

 

[novatech]

If its starting to head it is time to cut for max protein. It should come back from the stubble.

 

[1982vett]

Anybody plant the stuff? I'm wondering if I should start cutting?
It's about 3 feet tall and a few heads are appearing.
It's thick and leafy. I do want max quantity without sacrificing protein.
I'm Wintering cows on it so 10% protein would be fine.
Will the stuff come back if I cut it before seeding?
Or would I be better off letting it head for maximum yield?

I'm going to say that any type of forage plant, once it begins the reproductive cycle, the forage (protien) quality will diminish. You either cut it for easy digestibility, higher protien and nutrition value or trade that for more tonnage, roughage, lower protien and digestibility. Essentially, you produce a product that an animal can sustain itself on or you produce something that fills them up and requires you to supplement the missing nutrients to sustain them by other means. So the answer to your problem might be looked at which is most economical to do. I do believe quality over quantity is a better option. Kind of a "less crap in, less crap out" type of analogy.

Don't have any experience with it, but I'll bet that if it is heading your are close to the 10% threshold already.

 

[novaman]

I had German millet a few years back. I think it is quite similiar to Siberian. We had some moisture after it was cut and it did come back very nice.

 

[mnmtranching]

I had German millet a few years back. I think it is quite similiar to Siberian. We had some moisture after it was cut and it did come back very nice.

That's what I wanted to hear. I have 20 acres of German millet. Can't see a bit of difference in the two. Maybe one has a white foxtail and the other red?
I'm going to open a field today, see how it works.

 

[mnmtranching]

Well I cut the whole dang patch of the German millet on Tuesday. Had some nice drying days. Thought I could rake some and bale this afternoon. :shock: :shock: NO! way :cry2: Green as grass under the swaths.
Rain moving in tomorrow. Reckon I jumped the gun a bit.
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