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Faunsdale, AL | General rule of making hay or haylage from small grains is to either cut in the boot stage for a premium high protein lower fiber feed (at reduced yield per acre) The cut crop usually needs wilting to get moisture in an acceptable range for silage/balelage. As you have said sometimes it is very hard to get the crop cut before heading to dry for making dry hay.
Or wait until the soft dough stage when energy and dry matter per acre have peaked (fiber content will be much higher and protein much lower). Moisture can be perfect for direct cut silage with no wilting......or it is easy for the crop to get too dry for good fermentation if there is any delay in harvest.
In between, you get a high fiber, low energy, low protein feed. Closer to boot it is higher protein, high fiber feed. Closer to dough it will be a higher energy high fiber feed. | |
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feeding silage vs hay and general questions
