When everything goes your way - keep dreamin

[Jogeephus]

Just thought I'd post a picture of what happens when Tift 85 has adequate fertilizer, gracious plenty rainfall and 30 days to grow.

Of course its got to stop raining before I can actually say everything is going my way. I'd estimate this field will do 8 rolls per acre of feed quality hay if it were cut today but I don't think it is going to quit raining for a couple of weeks so this is liable get interesting. I'm amazed at how fast this stuff can grow when everything comes together. I could always just bale and wrap it but I hate to add the expense. BTW - I am not complaining about the rain.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Looks likereally thick grass! Care to explain to the average european farmer what the tift 85 is? A seed mix name?

 

[1982vett]

It is like a hybrid bermuda grass on steroids.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa149
http://www.txfb.org/texasagriculture/20 ... fton85.htm
http://www.tifton.uga.edu/fat/bermudagrass.htm
http://forages.tamu.edu/PDF/Tifton%2085.pdf

 

[john250]

Did you photoshop the dog head into the picture or did it come with the seed (sprigs)?

 

[Jogeephus]

That's a good description of it. It amazes me how fast it can grow when given the right conditions. There are uncut areas in the field where the grass is climbing the fence and is nearly as tall as the top wire. On this field I monkeyed with the fertility by fertilizing the last cutting on day 14 so I suspect there is still some residual N from this application in addition to what I put out on day 5. I was hoping to grow some really high sugar grass so I applied a quart of liquid iron on day 15 when I sprayed for worms. I had hoped that I could cut it on day 28 but the rain is messing with these plans. If it keeps up, I'm afraid I'll be growing some filler. The most I ever rolled off a T85 field was 12 rolls/acre and it was a bloody nightmare. I hope this isn't going to be a repeat.

 

[highgrit]

Good to see somebodys making hay and alot of it. The rain has been going around us for the last month, but very thankful for the
little bit we have received.

 

[1982vett]

Did you photoshop the dog head into the picture or did it come with the seed (sprigs)?

That's ole Eli walking on his hind legs....

 

[Jogeephus]

Yeah, Eli loves running through the tall grass. Its one of his most favorite things in the world to do besides about most everything else. :lol2:

 

[john250]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/dog-experiences-best-day-of-his-life-for-400th-con,4779/

 

[lavacarancher]

That's some great looking T85. I just sprigged 14 acres this spring but mine doesn't look quite that good. I have cut it twice though and could probably cut again in a couple of weeks.

Anazazi, T85 stands for Tifton 85 which is a hybrid bermuda grass. It is sprigged, not planted from seed. I believe it is patented or at least the folks around my neck of the woods charge for sprigging like it is patented. Jogee, help me out here. I believe this grass was developed at the University in Tifton, Georgia? Or maybe its Tifton, Florida?

The folks at TAMU are pretty high on it stating that it is as good or maybe better for protien content as Alfalfa. But it doesn't like to get wet after cutting. One of the things that makes this grass so good is that the cattle can break down the cells in the grass very easily so it is very digestible. That fact also makes rain water also break down the cells easily so if it gets wet after cutting might as well put a match to it.

 

[1982vett]

That's pretty good John... :nod:

 

[Jogeephus]

Did you photoshop the dog head into the picture or did it come with the seed (sprigs)?

Nah, I only photoshop my semen bulls. :lol2: :lol2: That's good! You and I must have posted at the same time cause I missed it till now. Love the article. Suits Eli to a T. Did I mention he can now drive a tractor? Fairly straight too. :lol2: One of his most favorite things in the whole wide world is fluffing hay. He's a natural. :lol2:

Anazazi, T85 stands for Tifton 85 which is a hybrid bermuda grass. It is sprigged, not planted from seed. I believe it is patented or at least the folks around my neck of the woods charge for sprigging like it is patented. Jogee, help me out here. I believe this grass was developed at the University in Tifton, Georgia? Or maybe its Tifton, Florida?

The folks at TAMU are pretty high on it stating that it is as good or maybe better for protien content as Alfalfa. But it doesn't like to get wet after cutting. One of the things that makes this grass so good is that the cattle can break down the cells in the grass very easily so it is very digestible. That fact also makes rain water also break down the cells easily so if it gets wet after cutting might as well put a match to it.

Dr. Burton in Tifton has the credit for coming up with it. I am told that Cowboy Stephens is actually the person who brought back the original plants from Africa for the cross. An old friend of mine and hunting buddy was a technician for UGA and he talked me into planting some when everyone else told me not to do it. Like you say, the digestibility is the big thing. On top of that it grows like you know what. Lee told me that when they made the cross it would die every year and they had to resprig it every year. So they loaded up a truck with sprigs and carried it to Tennessee to some atomic place where they pelted the sprigs with gamma rays. After they did this they planted a field in McMinnville Tenn. After the winter was over there were only a few plants in the whole field. I think he said three. These three are where all of it came from.

Lots of people here still don't like it cause they seem to think the quality of the grass is indirectly proportional to the stem size. The biggest problem I have with it is it takes an extra day to dry and sometimes this is troublesome. Lava I haven't heard that about the rain but I do know its a pain to dry if it gets wet cause its normally so thick. There are some other subtle things that I like about it too that none of the researchers talk about but overall its a fabulous grass.

 

[GRTiger85]

I hope mine looks that good in a year or two. Post some pics when you go through the haying process if you have the time.

 

[Jogeephus]

I hope mine looks that good in a year or two. Post some pics when you go through the haying process if you have the time.

Will do. Might be able to hear some colorful language if I do a youtube though. Weather isn't looking favorable for hay any time soon. And its almost a full moon so the worms are going to be coming and I'd hate to drive across this grass at this stage.

 

[gabby]

That's a pretty sight Geephus. Where's the crabgrass? Crabgrass is eating up my hay fields.

 

[alisonb]

Very impressive. How long did it take to establish to this stage?

 

[Jogeephus]

Very impressive. How long did it take to establish to this stage?

This field was sprigged in 2000. I got three cuttings off it the first year but it really doesn't reach peak production until the 2nd year and sometimes the third. Really depends on your inititial success sprigging.

Weather man said there was only a 20% chance of rain yesterday with the highest possiblity of rain being 30% later in the week so I cut it down yesterday. This is about the 32 day since it was last cut.

I pleasantly surprised when I found that most of the stem was green all the way to the ground. I was a little concerned that it was getting rank and would have some brown in it but it doesn't have much.

I did mention that the weatherman said there was only a 20% chance of rain didn't I? Did I also mention my weatherman is a liar?!
At 9:00 pm the weather alarms went off as they were calling for a flood warning last night. It rained cats and dogs and there was a lightning storm that beat all I'd ever seen. Some areas got as much as 4 inches. The hayfield got 1.5" and the house got 2 tenths.

Thankfully, I had just cut the hay so it shouldn't mess it up much. Just finished fluffing it and I'm sure I'll get to do this at least once more before I bale it. Assuming it doesn't rain again. Which now the fickle fart of a weather forecaster is calling for only a 30% chance today as droplets of water are hitting the ground as I type and a 50% chance tomorrow. (And No, Vett, I'm not whining cause I do remember the drought and this is nothing compared to a drought.) Besides, I planted some beans yesterday and they got a good soaking. :banana:

 

[1982vett]

I'll trade weathermen with you......... :lol: we've had 3/10ths over the last 5 weeks. Most of the grass is now brown but last year we didn't even have the brown grass so I guess we are in pretty good shape. With the "cold" front that came thru (dry of course) yesterday it has only gotten up to 93 today.

 

[GRTiger85]

didnt make it to 80 here today, was 109 two days ago....but we didnt get any rain either from the front.

 

[TexasBred]

didnt make it to 80 here today, was 109 two days ago....but we didnt get any rain either from the front.

My wife and a friend ate lunch at a BBQ place in your town yesterday and said it was raining cats and dogs while they were eating but only rained about 15 minutes.