I will jump in with my favorite forage crop, sericea lespedeza. Tolerates low fertility, responds to good fertility, can make very high quality hay with it. There is a growing small ruminant market, and they have problems with the barber pole worm(Haemonchus contortus), being resistant to dewormers. Sericea has activity against the barber pole worm, as well as coccidia. I have never had to use an insecticide on it. I have the hay priced at 1.5x my alfalfa hay price. Very drought tolerant.

In pastures, that would be bermudagrass, but as a component of a mixture. Bermuda just doesn't have the energy content to get the job done on its own.

 

After searching my mind for a while I can't think of one warm season perennial grass we have here. If a grass is warm season here it is invariably an annual, and generally undesirable as hay.

 

Little Bluestem is my favorite, but does not compete well with other grasses.

Regards, Mike

 

How many tomatoes will I get thrown at me if I say Johnsongrass for hay? Lol

 

How many tomatoes will I get thrown at me if I say Johnsongrass for hay? Lol

Lol, If you was to throw a mix of crabgrass in there you might get at least one.....

 

How many tomatoes will I get thrown at me if I say Johnsongrass for hay? Lol

Maybe a few......I spend a lot of money to keep that stuff away. Horsey folks don't like it and beef producers sure aren't going to pay $6+ per square bale for it.

Regards, Mike

 

I have often wondered how Eastern Gama grass would be for a summer perennial as far as square bales. I know the seed is expensive....about like Orchard grass....or so I hear.

Regards, Mike

 

Maybe a few......I spend a lot of money to keep that stuff away. Horsey folks don't like it and beef producers sure aren't going to pay $6+ per square bale for it.

Regards, Mike

I can definitely see where certain situations I wouldn't like it. In my area every field has it and a lot of it and mostly people are feeding commercial beef cows with it, although the neighbor on the one side of me has horses. We do differ from our neighbors in that we cut it frequently before it heads out and we get pretty decent feed.

 

I have often wondered how Eastern Gama grass would be for a summer perennial as far as square bales. I know the seed is expensive....about like Orchard grass....or so I hear.

Regards, Mike

I like eastern gamagrass and have a couple fields of it. People around here think I'm crazy but the stuff is gold and the cows love it. Got to be careful that they don't over graze it if it's pasture.

 

We do differ from our neighbors in that we cut it frequently before it heads out and we get pretty decent feed.

That is definitely the key mowing about 18"-24" tall....but that will work your tail off during the heat of the summer. I am anxious to see how this Outrider herbicide I used on some places where I have have JG performs. It seems like it is doing exactly the way the label said it would perform. I will know for sure next year. I think it is supposed to get about 85% of it on the first go around. Then hopefully knock it out next year.

Regards, Mike

 

That is definitely the key mowing about 18"-24" tall....but that will work your tail off during the heat of the summer. I am anxious to see how this Outrider herbicide I used on some places where I have have JG performs. It seems like it is doing exactly the way the label said it would perform. I will know for sure next year. I think it is supposed to get about 85% of it on the first go around. Then hopefully knock it out next year.

Regards, Mike

I actually don't do any of the work. A guy down the road makes the hay and we split it 50/50. He even takes it off the field. I foot all the money for fertilizer though. I will be curious to see how the Outrider does for you as well.