Hay regrowth

[sf88]

due to tractor issues my hay field is to far past prime to cut for hay. i was told to bushhog it to knock it down and do the second cut. wondering how far down it needs to be cut? the stalks of the hay have begin to turn yellowish. thanks

 

[bigbull338]

well its my opion that you was told wrong on your hay meadow.if it was me i would go ahead and cut and bale it.

 

[jleus]

due to tractor issues my hay field is to far past prime to cut for hay. i was told to bushhog it to knock it down and do the second cut. wondering how far down it needs to be cut? the stalks of the hay have begin to turn yellowish. thanks

Bale it now or bale it later, if you expect to hog it down and it not be there to make a mess at a later date your headed for disappointment, BTDT. Bale it, give it away or burn it and move on. You got a mushroom or construction hay market?

 

[Texasmark]

Need to leave stubble for regrowth which comes initially from the sugars stored in the stalk you leave. Amount depends on the crop. Pearl Millet is recommended to have 8". On fine grasses 3-4 is ok as it is on Sorghum-sudan crosses also.

You can't hog it and then come back for a hay crop. Your new crop will be full of your clippings from your hogging. Do as others said, get it off the field.

Mark

 

[MH8675309]

If you bale what you've got it'l be stemy and coarse but your stock will still eat some of it - unless it's full of 1/2 " goldenrod. Probably not since its a hay field. Good luck with it. You might consider feeding some goats - I hear there's a good market for meat goats

 

[Clint S]

If you bale what you've got it'l be stemy and coarse but your stock will still eat some of it - unless it's full of 1/2 " goldenrod. Probably not since its a hay field. Good luck with it. You might consider feeding some goats - I hear there's a good market for meat goats

Yep if they get hungry they will eat it. I am sure over the years we have baled and fed off worse. You could also bale it and sell it, be upfront with what it. Is and price is accordingly. We have also raked it into big wind rows and just pushed it in the woods

 

[jagyzf]

Need to leave stubble for regrowth which comes initially from the sugars stored in the stalk you leave. Amount depends on the crop. Pearl Millet is recommended to have 8". On fine grasses 3-4 is ok as it is on Sorghum-sudan crosses also.

You can't hog it and then come back for a hay crop. Your new crop will be full of your clippings from your hogging. Do as others said, get it off the field.

Mark

That is what I have seen.

The only way I have seen it work is to mow it and chop it with a forage harvester. Then the clippings are small enough to rot down, or what is left falls all the way to the ground. Otherwise there will be rotten hay in with good hay.