OT Rained on hay removal

Neighbor said to let it be and wait for second cutting to grow out. Then set swather to cut above old hay and just leave it (old hay).

I have a problem with that as you can't harvest the new crop without distrubing the old; can't rake and baler would have to be set up 7" off ground.

What to do? What to do?

Mark

just a passing thought....being as it's sudan rather than coastal or bahia..... assuming the 'cut' is lost already, due to the weather..... ...if'n it was mine..... I'd sacrifice a few rows of later cuttings & let it lay in a controlled way, to help replenish the organic matter in the pasture..... .ie(..if'n the pasture is dry enough to not 'rut' it up terribly, rake several passes into a single giant windrow, just to get it off the new growth, & let it lay, deteriate & compost..... .)make your next cuttings in between the windrows, then after haying season & everything has dried out some, & your getting the pasture ready to reseed..... scatter the leftovers & recover some organic material as well as some of the nutrients tied up in the now existing problem..... .....

like I said...just a passing thought.....

glc

I'll run that by the neighbor.

Thanks,

Mark

But I have a question for you. Do you (does one)put up forage wet? If so, what do you do about mildew?

Thanks,

Mark

By the way, Would you be able to rent a chopper, or is it completly out of the question?

Thanks for the reply,

Mark

I am going to talk to him tonight. Maybe the hoggin is the way to go.

Thought things were drying out (no rain over the holiday) but this am you guys (Okies..Grin) sent us another squall line. So who knows when we can get into the field.

I think if it gets too bad with mold and mildew that I will insist that at least my cows aren't fed it. Rather loose a cutting of hay than mess up some fine stock.

Thanks,

Mark

One problem I have with this field is that he and I share acerage for a joint cattle operation. What I cut from this field gets fed to my cows too. So I am keenly interested in the outcome for 2 reasons.

Thanks for the reply,

Mark

I'm reposting because it is just getting worse and the earlier post is getting old and back in the pages.

It's definitely a dilema. The field is leased by my next door neighbor who is retired, of limited means, and this is surely not making him feel good. I'm "hobbying" right now, putting it up for him, so it's not hurting me financially, although I am going to have to redo something and will eat the cost for that.

Not fenced so cows are out. Bush hogging and subsequent roll up of the remains might be an option. I put up grass hay by bushhogging and it works very well in square bales. (I actually prefer it to a sickle mower which I sold.) Would roll this.

He talked like the rest of the year we would try to stay on top and put this 1st cutting in the soil when finished for the year. That part doesn't sound good to me as the field will be a bear to do.

Thanks again for your input.

Mark

I never cared much for Sudan grass -- can be troublesome to gather (as you have experienced) and gives the cattle diarrhea for a day or two after you first feed it to them. If you're in the barn milking and you hear a cow cough, stay away from her hind end or you'll likely get a bath/shower you'd prefer not to get!

Just my .02 worth.

Good luck with your situation, however you choose to resolve it.

For leased land around here it is the preferred forage. Additionally it is said to be sweet tasting to the cows and they take it over grass. Also, since it grows to several feet tall and can be thickly planted, it makes a significant yield per acre and the haying operator can make lots of hay for time spent.

Thanks,

Mark