Posted 1/21/2024 08:26 (#10585296) Subject: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Which would be better to plant in the spring for cow hay ? I would get the highest yield from oats , but have to do dirt work after the harvest. Or I can plant BMR Sudan and get 3 cuttings and only touch the dirt once. I don’t know if oats or BMR Haygrazer has more energy ? Triticale seems to be ideal for cattle but I have never planted it on the spring. . But o have never planted it in the spring. Oats hay yields string 4-5 tons an acre for me. Pics are of Haygrazer and oat yield. Any suggestions thanks.
Posted 1/21/2024 09:43 (#10585443 - in reply to #10585434) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Southeast Colorado
It seems like somewhere around soft dough to almost hard dough stage works best for us when baling. The oat has to go ahead and finish making grain so that the cattle crave the straw. If we cut too early they just lay on the straw for bedding.
The best would be to put oats down before they head..............but the tonnage sure goes down. If you need high quality hay then do it before heading. For our cows and selling to cow guys...........my first paragraph stands.
EDIT: Went back and looked at the pictures above. That in my mind would be the worst possible stage to be baling the oats. They are headed...............but way too green at that stage. Just my 2 cents (but with a 20+ year history of putting up and feeding oat hay).
Posted 1/21/2024 09:42 (#10585442 - in reply to #10585431) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Sheridan Mi
Lawrence505 - 1/21/2024 09:34
What stage should I cut it at ?
I've only cut green oats for hay and tried to bale them once. I cut them in the boot stage and the grain wouldn't dry. The bales were super heavy and sweated to beat the band. The whole experience was pretty much a waste of time and oats. I've cut them and baled them when they were dry a few times. They didn't really clean up all the straw, but they cleaned up all the dry grain. I really didn't lose much grain in cutting and baling them.
I've tried to bale sorghum/sudan grass twice. Those bales were junk too, The stems were so woody that they wouldn't dry either.
Posted 1/21/2024 09:45 (#10585447 - in reply to #10585442) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
If you are going to cut green oats, they HAVE to be wrapped. Otherwise they turn to junk, in-line or marshmellow doesnt matter as long as they are wrapped.
If done right (i have gotten right 2 out of the last 6 yrs) they will est everything into the ground. Otherwise they eat it, but dont like it
Posted 1/21/2024 09:46 (#10585448 - in reply to #10585442) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Southeast Colorado
We bale a LOT of sorghum sudan. It's our primary hay. You have to have a crimper on the swather for it to work. And even then it takes a minimum of a week to dry down. That is for our dry climate. For you wetter folks back east it sounds like baling wet and wrapping is about the only option.
Posted 1/21/2024 10:20 (#10585520 - in reply to #10585448) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Texas
tmrand - 1/21/2024 09:46
We bale a LOT of sorghum sudan. It's our primary hay. You have to have a crimper on the swather for it to work. And even then it takes a minimum of a week to dry down. That is for our dry climate. For you wetter folks back east it sounds like baling wet and wrapping is about the only option.
Same here in TX , hard to get it dry enough to bale .
Posted 1/21/2024 11:42 (#10585677 - in reply to #10585296) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Central Nebraska
We did winter trit then planted German millet on a field last yr. Trit toned out well but basically looks like straw, lots of stem and few leaves. Swathed at late boot, later than we wanted because it started raining about the time we wanted to swath. The millet didn’t ton as well but has a lot finer stems and lots of leaves. Millet did hAve a lot higher nitrate concentration than trit. Not if that was because the old alfalfa released more or if millet normally sucks up more
Posted 1/21/2024 13:44 (#10585879 - in reply to #10585747) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
We plant heavy here in the southwest. Or hay 125 pounds per acre , haygrazer 100 minimum , alfalfa 35 per acre. The stems are smaller and drying is easier. Shovel handles weigh more than pencils.
Posted 1/21/2024 18:28 (#10586441 - in reply to #10585879) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Texas
Lawrence505 - 1/21/2024 13:44
We plant heavy here in the southwest. Or hay 125 pounds per acre , haygrazer 100 minimum , alfalfa 35 per acre. The stems are smaller and drying is easier. Shovel handles weigh more than pencils.
Me too , the stems get too big if it rains and cant get it laid down , as you know cows wont eat the stems .
Posted 1/21/2024 15:02 (#10586016 - in reply to #10585296) Subject: RE: Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
Triticale will yield about 3 ton to the acre and 19 percent protein I cut a little before the dough stage flag leaf is the highest quality less yield though
Oat hay , spring Triticale , BMR Haygrazer feed value for cows ?
