Manitoba_Rancher
Well-known member
Hey Tim, did ya notice your a rancher now 1000 posts? 
Congrats
Congrats
Cutting greenfeed
- Thread starter Manitoba_Rancher
- Start date
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DiamondSCattleCo
Well-known member
Hmmmm, well I don't _think_ I'm cutting too late. I usually cut in mid to late dough stage. That about right? I try to plant so I'll be cutting about mid-August, during the historic dry time, so it usually only takes 3 or 4 days to dry down with the swather. There really isn't much greenfeed that gets done in my area, so I didn't have anyone to ask and I just winged it. As far as loss when baling, until this year I ran M&W enclosed chain balers, so there wasn't much loss except a little off the pickup.
I also prefer steel rollers in my haybines (tried rubber, hated them, lost 1 day of dry down time in alfalfa, even setting the rollers tighter than I would with steel), so maybe its the steel rollers?
Rod
I also prefer steel rollers in my haybines (tried rubber, hated them, lost 1 day of dry down time in alfalfa, even setting the rollers tighter than I would with steel), so maybe its the steel rollers?
Rod
Manitoba_Rancher
Well-known member
Baling up that greenfeed today. Dont go to far in the swath and you have a bale. Im makin 70" bales and they are weighing in around 1850-2000 lbs. That wind today blowing hard really dried the swaths up nice. Good day for being in the tractor. With the way the field is yielding bales Im definately a happy camper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
camper!!!!!!!!!!!!!Bro
Well-known member
hello diamond, heres my two cents worth. we cut our greenfeed at early dough stage so we have more leaves present. we also seed it quite thick, 120 lbs/acre +. Leave it to late, cows don;t seem to eat the courser stalks. and more waste. More protien in the plant at early dough stage, but less energy than in plants in later dough stage. Get an analysis done on crop at different stages and see what works best for you. Here is a catch, in dry weather if you cut too early you may have a nitrate problem. If you wait for the seed to set first then the nitrate levels may go down. It was quite dry around here , it was early dough stage, and the bottom leaves were droping off so I was forced to cut. I cut, and got an analysis done. OUr nitrate levels are near the danger zone, so I am going to bale up about 20 - 30 bales and feed the herd on a differernt pasture for a few a day to get their bacteria in their guts to handle it before they go on full feed on the swaths. It takes upwards of a week to get the cattle use to it, and I do not want to have any abortions if possible. Just something to think about for anyone using cereals for feed.