Hay Options from Fall to Spring?

**GeneRector** · 02-07-2010 09:03 AM

Howdy! I live on the cusp of East Texas and Central Texas. Coastal Bermuda hay is primarily the crop around here for hay production. However, just to get a new topic going, I would like opinions and views on growing a cool season hay crop (other than alfalfa and clovers) that could be produced and sold for a profit in this part of Texas. Some people plant ryegrass and oats; however, they just use it to graze cattle and do not use it to make hay. Any suggestions? Always, Gene

**swmnhay** · 02-07-2010 09:58 AM

Would Orchardgrass work there?It is a cool season grass.It grows better HERE in Mn spring & fall.It would make a lot better hay than Annual Ryegrass or Oats if it works there.

**Mike120** · 02-07-2010 11:22 AM

The main problem that I see with Orchardgrass is that it's a Perennial and I doubt that it could withstand the hot/dry summers (which might make it an Annual). I plant Rye/Oats to give the livestock something to eat (reduces hay requirements) and to control mud more than anything else. I've had friends plant Rye with the intention of baling it but getting it dry enough to bale in the winter here is a problem (I'm NW of Houston). This year it's pretty wet and I hate even driving in my hay fields because of the ruts I'll make.

I'm starting to see some green in the fields and I should be able to try spraying that growth stimulator that I posted about a few months back, on part of a field. I personally think that extending the growing season for what's already working (Bermuda) holds more promise than trying to introduce something new (I'm old, conservative, and probably a bit lazy).

**RCF** · 02-07-2010 01:04 PM

really depends on where exactly you are at but most cool season grasses around here in east Texas are usually taken off about when the Bermuda grass starts growing and sets you back a little its also hard some years to get anything to dry down to the right moisture that time of year. With that said depending on soil type I would look at wheat, oats, ryegrass (sometimes you can get two cuttings), or triticale.

**hay wilson in TX** · 02-07-2010 02:06 PM

Winter "cool season hay" is really difficult here. This is the time of year that it is difficult to find the timing to successfully harvest hay. The classic cool season grasses just do not survive our summers.
Just consider some of the winter annuals available to us.
Rye (the grain) , oats, soft wheat, & ryegrass, all more or less will work. Problem is when each of these are optimal for harvesting it starts to rain and may rain way too often to be able to harvest hay. In these black land clay soils it may require a week for the ground be be dry enough to run on & not cut ruts. Then our 10 hours of sun may not be enough to be able to cure a high moisture crop.
Unless you are in the cmmerical hay business you really can not afford to raise hay. As a rule of thumb it cost maybe $0.15/day/animal graze a mature cow. It is at least $1.50/day/animal to feed hay to a mature cow.
A good option for grazing is switch grass. Graze it maybe two times lightly during the growing season and let it grow & go into frost. Then manage graze the plot The key is the managed grazing.
If that does not work for you then plant corn and then graze it out rather than feed hay in august and again in February.
Tifton 85 stockpiles very well and unlike coastal it holds its nutritional value through February.
I*f you really want to sell hay then concentrate on bermudagrass during the season. Plan on 500 lbs of actual nitrogen fertilizer. That is 600 lbs of Anhydrous, or 1550 lbs of 32-0-0, or 1150 lbs of Urea per acre. That will produce 10 tons of hay. True that is a ton of hay on 3 to 4 inches of rain. To accomplish this will require at the very least 500 lbs of potash (0-0-62) each fall and again in the spring. Granted the soil test will say you do not Need Potassium but without it you will not raise a ton of hay on 4" of rain. You will also need some sulfur so you can substitute 1,400 lbs/A of K-Mag (0-0-22K-11Mg-22S). This will be less than the amount of potassium removed by the crop. Your natural soil's fertility can and will fill the gap. Remember you will be pushing the ground for yield.
Or you can settle for between 5 & 6 tons/A of bermudagrass hay with out the heroic fertility program.

Visit with you Tuesday at the Beef and or Forage session at BIG. Bill

**Mike120** · 02-07-2010 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by RCF

really depends on where exactly you are at but most cool season grasses around here in east Texas are usually taken off about when the Bermuda grass starts growing and sets you back a little its also hard some years to get anything to dry down to the right moisture that time of year. With that said depending on soil type I would look at wheat, oats, ryegrass (sometimes you can get two cuttings), or triticale.

Interesting! I hadn't thought about using triticale instead of rye/oats. I know it makes a decent hay and the grain is fine for horses.....has anyone just used it for grazing? I put a rye/oat mixture in my horse paddocks and it doesn't ever effect the bermuda. Does triticale die off about the same time?

**RCF** · 02-08-2010 07:54 AM

Several dairies around our area graze triticale and put it up for silage and yes it does die off about the same time as your rye and oats and we only get one cutting off of it. I have seen some dryland triticale at the dairies yield around 6-8tons/acre and some irrigated stuff yield 14+tons per acre and this was all silage BTW.