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Range and Hay conditions

T

Tap

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We are in the swing of trying to scratch around for some hay this year. Our grass has turned from a nice carpet of green, to mostly a mid-summer look. There is a lot of grass, if you count the junk that is mixed with it, like needle grass, some cheat grass, etc. But our hay looks like it is making between 12-1400 lbs./ac. I think in this decade, if you averaged out what we have put up, and included the years there wasn't any hay worth putting up, then we probably have averaged about 1000#/ac. Kinda sorry. :x There has been very little rain here in the last 2 months.

Compared so some areas like MR's, this has been frustrating. But I know areas near us have no hay at all, so things aren't so bad I suppose.

What are the rest of you seeing this year?
 
What upland hay the outfit cut in the Hermosa and Fairburn, Sd area made almost a bale an acre (1300#)?. Our first cutting of irrigated alfalfa in the Alliance, Ne area varied from1.25 to three bales an acre(1400#+). The dryland grass hay in our part of Nebraska isn't worth the electric fence to graze. We're gonna bale all the irrigated wheat straw we can, and try some double crop millet and sudan and hope for a late freeze.
I haven't heard any reports on the Sandhills meadows yet, I'm sure it's short of normal. I visited with a neighbor who finished baling irrigated grass today (diesel well; don't want to know!), that made 2.6 or so 1300# bales an acre.
No big news flash but I'd advise doing everything possible to stretch the graze, hay is scarce, and going to get more so.
 
I just finished rolling up the poorest field I had, and it went about 1.5 tons/acre. I knocked down a decent field today, and it looks to be about a 2.5 ton/acre field, barring any rain. I've got another stand thats hit 3 ton/acre first cut every year for the last 3 years, and I see no reason why it won't do at least that again. Some of the alfalfa is standing close to 3 feet. If conditions stay good, we should see a decent second cut of a couple ton/acre on most fields.

Range land is a different story. Far too much rain, not enough heat. The animals have grazed everything down, but its not coming back fast enough. I've got some grass/alfalfa mixed pasture thats _almost_ ready for livestock, but I may have to feed for a week or so until the alfalfa is in full flower.

Rod
 
Nobody in our area even started the cutters. Pretty dry, it looks like September. Lots and lots of cows are moving to the barn or different parts of the country.

My neighbor ussually custom backgrounds around 1500 calves every year, and he told us that he cut all of his hay in 45 minutes this year.

Pastures look worse. Not sure what everyone will do.
 
I have'nt started yet 3 weeks ago it looked pretty thin.I was moving some pairs last night and the timothy was as tall as the cows backs and has really filled in I will be mowing that come monday.I have loads of grass right now but we have'nt had alot of rain and with july coming on the pastures that have been grazed down may look pretty humble.My corn looks like crap if it was near a road I would disc it under but being it's fenced I will graze it come winter.This is the first year I have bought crop insurance and by the look's of it I will have a claim.I think the top soil was to dry and it never germinated pretty spotty.I had rented an extra pasture so I have room for 30 more pairs so if it gets dry we'll be fine.
 
No hay here. We have not had moisture of significance in over 40 days and that was .50". I cut a few draws in the alfalfa, but it didn't take very long. We cut most of the winter wheat for hay and have just started on the spring wheat. Hot weather of late has pinched off any chance of the heads filling. Our pasture and dams are holding out pretty well though. Should be able to make fall, the winter will be the tough part.
Neighbors are in the same boat. Talking of CRP haying, selling cows, etc.
 
Lot of hay up here...Running a little lighter than last year, but that was an exceptional crop...With last year being an easy winter a lot of old hay still around too...Just north of us in Canada has lots too... Grass and water are beginning to look a little sad with the 100 degree days and 30 mph winds we had last week...

But just when I say that, now a thunderstorm grows out of nowhere and dumped about 6/10th of an inch in 25 minutes--little bit of pea size hail--Took the temp down from 90 to 79--still sprinkling a little and the radar looks like there is more building to the west coming our way... :)

Have about 70 acres of hay down- I thought that should bring us something :wink: :lol: Well the cows have ate rained on hay before- and will again...Would have had most of this baled if partner hadn't had a shaft in the baler break...Never should start haying until after the fourth...Always good for a storm..Woulda- Coulda- Shoulda...But I'm always glad for the moisture.... :D
 
Tap said:
We are in the swing of trying to scratch around for some hay this year. Our grass has turned from a nice carpet of green, to mostly a mid-summer look. There is a lot of grass, if you count the junk that is mixed with it, like needle grass, some cheat grass, etc. But our hay looks like it is making between 12-1400 lbs./ac. I think in this decade, if you averaged out what we have put up, and included the years there wasn't any hay worth putting up, then we probably have averaged about 1000#/ac. Kinda sorry. :x There has been very little rain here in the last 2 months.

Compared so some areas like MR's, this has been frustrating. But I know areas near us have no hay at all, so things aren't so bad I suppose.

What are the rest of you seeing this year?
Click to expand...

Tap,what I see this year is about what I seen the last 12,rain & slop thru mud all winter,then as soon as it gets warm enough to grow grass rains quit,but weather folks have given us a chance for rain this week and next,if it comes we just might get enough hay to go another year..........................good luck & thanks for asking.
 
Not atlot of hay around here, last I heard alfalfa was bringing $100 + a ton and Straw is now up to 50-60 dollars a ton, usually cant give that stuff away
 
Karl said:
Not atlot of hay around here, last I heard alfalfa was bringing $100 + a ton and Straw is now up to 50-60 dollars a ton, usually cant give that stuff away
Click to expand...

Karl- which part of the country are you "out to pasture" in? I'm betting that top quality hay will be around $50-60 T again this year- with plain old cow hay running around $40-45--and if we have another easy winter they may be again giving away old hay if you just haul it out so they can clean out their lots...
 
Oldtimer said:
Karl said:
Not atlot of hay around here, last I heard alfalfa was bringing $100 + a ton and Straw is now up to 50-60 dollars a ton, usually cant give that stuff away
Click to expand...

Karl- which part of the country are you "out to pasture" in? I'm betting that top quality hay will be around $50-60 T again this year- with plain old cow hay running around $40-45--and if we have another easy winter they may be again giving away old hay if you just haul it out so they can clean out their lots...
Click to expand...


South Central Nebraska, some guys messed up and shipped hay to Texas and now they are short of hay because its been so dry
 
I've got six hundred acres of alfalfa in the dirt most of it is quite a bit short of what I normally get and all of it has been rained on a couple of times and again today after getting about eighty acres raked. the grass is pretty short in all the pastures but it is still green though it isn't growing.

I'm getting sixty five for my hay though there is all kinds around for forty five. With railroads around you would think it shouldn't be too hard to get hay to areas that are short but I don't have any idea what it costs to send by rail. I sure hate to see guys selling cows as that hurts all of us.

Idaho is full of cow hay as most of their first cutting dairy hay got rained on. Maybe somebody could figure out how to get it where its needed reasonable.
 
Things have really changed around up here in the last 3 years; we went through years of severe drought conditions (02 was drier and hotter than anything in the 30's). We've had very good moisture and we are into an excellent grass and hay growing year. I thought last year was maybe the grass year of a lifetime but it's even better this year! I was turning cows into a summer field and rolled out several large rocks with my truck while fixing fence.......you just can't see them; it's hard to even find the vehicle trails! Hay is plentiful and practically unsaleable unless priced really reasonable........the cost of freight has really hit this business hard! It probably would be cheaper to move cattle to the areas with hay.
 
cowsense said:
Things have really changed around up here in the last 3 years; we went through years of severe drought conditions (02 was drier and hotter than anything in the 30's). We've had very good moisture and we are into an excellent grass and hay growing year. I thought last year was maybe the grass year of a lifetime but it's even better this year! I was turning cows into a summer field and rolled out several large rocks with my truck while fixing fence.......you just can't see them; it's hard to even find the vehicle trails! Hay is plentiful and practically unsaleable unless priced really reasonable........the cost of freight has really hit this business hard! It probably would be cheaper to move cattle to the areas with hay.
Click to expand...


Cowsense are you ready for 400 black cows to invade you this winter? Those old Herefords wouldn't know what hit'em. :wink:
 
The hay here looks to be light. Dad decided to graze at least one meadow with how light it is and the cost of fuel he decided it was cheaper to try and buy hay to make up the difference.

Haying hasn't started here so exactly how light won't be known for a bit.
 
Things are rolling a little heavier than I expected. I'm getting a hair better than 3 ton/acre on some 12 year old alfalfa ground, and that isn't the heaviest I've got. I've got my fingers crossed that the weather holds for a couple more weeks, because I'll have a few hundred extra bales to sell. About the only thing I've got to complain about is my grass/alfalfa pasture. Grass is so tall (4+ feet in places), the alfalfa won't bloom so I get the cattle out onto it.

Still have a quarter of hay land under water though. Guess I won't be getting anything off of it anytime soon.

Rod
 
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I'm getting sixty five for my hay though there is all kinds around for forty five. With railroads around you would think it shouldn't be too hard to get hay to areas that are short but I don't have any idea what it costs to send by rail. I sure hate to see guys selling cows as that hurts all of us.

I had wondered about shipping by rail, but was told the railroads would only ship hay in enclosed cars due to fire hazard. Does any one know if that is true ? Would be tough loading an unloading enclosed cars.

Texas is in tough shape. Basically no grass hay available. In the blacklands of central TX they are bailing corn that didn't make ears. I don't know how they will keep it from molding. Also bailing milo stalks after combining it. That is reportedly going for $70 per ton in the field.
 

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