Cold night will hurt the hay/grass!!

JD Seller · Apr 9, 2016

We hit 22 degrees over night. The pastures and hay where really greening up. I have seen this happen in years past and it really stuns the crop. The grass hay not as bad as the alfalfa. The first cutting can be 50% less than normal. So the "cheap" hay prices may not be here for long. I know I am going to the hay sale this week and buying grass hay to tub grind. If I am wrong and have a good hay crop then I will sell some "good" hay. If it is short than I will not be buying on a high market.

We had an inch of rain this week and then this cold spell, so the corn planters will be in the shed for a while longer.

David G · Apr 9, 2016

We got into the teens, some around here have corn in the ground.

JimIA · Apr 9, 2016

Here is farther northeast Iowa there has been very little to no oats/hay seeded yet this year. Going to get crazy when this weather decides its spring!

Allan in NE · Apr 9, 2016

Happens every year. It's called "spring". :>)

Allan

chevytaHOE5674 · Apr 9, 2016

Got down close to Zero here last night. But the foot of snow on the ground should protect the hay crop. ha

Dick2 · Apr 9, 2016

Just talked to my nephew in ND; it was 17 degrees there this morning. The big snow missed him, just got a light skiff of snow. He has 40 cows left to calve.

gene bender · Apr 9, 2016

Why not have oats planted as soon as you get some sun they will be up even snow wont hurt them.

David G · Apr 9, 2016

My alfalfa was coming up, I would assume the temperatures in the teens will kill it.

Anything to do except just let it regrow?

LonM · Apr 9, 2016

It has been cold and dry here in western MN/northeast SD. We had 23 degrees this morning, and the pastures and hay are very slow to green up. In spite of that, I have neighbors who intend to plant corn next week!

dahlin · Apr 9, 2016

I hate to even say it but we had -3 degrees at 6:00am boy you have to love northern Wisconsin NOT. Randy

mtny · Apr 9, 2016

Been cold here in New York , 20s snowing all morning . We've had more snow in April than all winter.

IA Roy · Apr 9, 2016

just wondering if it would be beneficial to sow some oats in it to up your first cutting production?

JD Seller · Apr 9, 2016

David there is nothing to do but make sure your fertility is good so it can recover fast enough for later cuttings.

fixerupper · Apr 9, 2016

I seeded oats/brome/alfalfa March 21. Yesterday a small scattering of alfalfa plants were peeking up. Just a white root with a couple of little green buds that will be leaves. Temp this morn was 17 so I expect those few plants to be toast.

ss55 · Apr 9, 2016

I wouldn't worry about the hay and grass, they are not fragile apple blossoms. The cold might slow it down for a few days, but that happens almost every year. In the Mid-West this is an early spring so it will still be well ahead of normal. We could use some rain here though.

Bill VA · Apr 9, 2016

Woke up here with a couple inches of snow on the ground. Tonight, a low of 15 deg is forecast. Woodstove on living room is rippin'

Two new fields, planted last fall with timothy.

Kind of thing - cool season grass....

Bill

01gentdc · Apr 9, 2016

hope you are rite..elnino can be a hellnino...I fear jd has a very valid concern and I concur . we had bad freeze down to 19 in april about 10 yrs back that really put the hurt on the hay crop , 1st cutting down 30-50 percent ,, compounded by a very hot dry june and july ,,and cheap hay around here was nonexistent .,. we baled all the corn stover we could get and folx were paying 6 bux for anything they could get 2 strings around that was being called a bale.. the hi prices and poor quality hay cleaned out most all the play horsey folx , goat luvers,sheep huggers ,and donkey muley guys ,.some were taking their animals to public lands and parks and turning them loose,,. that market has never come back around here ...

Traditional Farmer · Apr 10, 2016

Nothing better to make grass/hay grow than a late snow.

Cold night will hurt the hay/grass!!

JD Seller

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JimIA

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Allan in NE

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chevytaHOE5674

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