I did this last year with a group of calves and had another group on a fescue mix with supplement protein for comparison. The annual group did a touch over 1.5 lbs per day but I didn't have them on it for long enough and the stocking rate was too high IMHO. Once they have grazed this for at least 60 days (weather and forage permitting) I'm going to reweigh both groups again for cost of gain comparison.Very cool! Have you done this before? If so, do you know how much they gain on it and how long you can graze it?
Can definitely share once I get all the data.I would be interested to hear the comparison you get this year.
I have in the past but don't think I will this year. They are keeping it trimmed like I want them to we will see with second time through.You let them graze it then pull them off and bale the regrowth?
Planting that late could be a problem with frost in certain areas of the country. They say it should be at least 18" tall to graze and leave 6-8" of stubble for regrowing. Frost and drought are the two concerns with Sudangrass but we plant ours earlier in the summer to get multiple Grazing before having to worry about frost in the Fall.What about Toxicity of the Sudangrass? I've wanted to plant some in late July early Aug but have been scared of by the toxicity issue. Do you test it or is there a good time and wrong time to graze or cut for hay?
What size bales, what do you think they weigh? If somebody close to me starts to offer some baleage for sale I'd be interested in buying some, I know my larger tractor could handle them just wondering about the smaller 45 hp model.
These were 52-54" bales, they were heavy. Around 50% moisture I'd make with an educated guess. They are HEAVY. Our smaller JD 5115M can lift two bales on the front as long as you have a bale on the rear and you take it slow. They are probably more than double the weight of a dry bale. Our 60" dry bales average 750-775lbs so I'd wager these are around 1500lbs (guess but I've weighed some of them in the past). The Sudan grass is heavier than our wet mixed grass bales.What size bales, what do you think they weigh? If somebody close to me starts to offer some baleage for sale I'd be interested in buying some, I know my larger tractor could handle them just wondering about the smaller 45 hp model.
We haven't moved to a TMR with mixer yet but it's in the future. We usually roll the bales out and feed with a dry bale but not all the time.When you feed, do you use a mixer and add in dry hay or other feed stuff?