Question about hay

PrettyPaisley · #1 05/07/12, 08:38 PM

The guy that sells us hay said he could come bale our front pasture for 2.50 a bale. I didn't know hay was growing in our front pasture-I thought it was just weedy grass of some sort so I let the cow loose on it about a month ago. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. I'd say she is all alone on about 5 acres.

I would like to consider letting him bale it but I was wondering about the danger of having the cow on it. I don't want to bale cow patties-as this hay would be used to feed the goats and the cow.

How can I let my cow graze and still safely bale this? If I move her over to a smaller area, how long do I need to wait before the patties dry up and the hay is safe to bale?

haypoint · #2 05/07/12, 08:51 PM

Depends on how long it takes for your cow's patties to break down. Once they are low enough to miss the mower's knife, the rake will still flick some patties, but shouldn't be a big enough gob to show up in a bale. A big wet cow pie in a square bale is able to ferment, create heat and possibly cause a fire.
Often times, baled weeds is called hay. Most people with hay equipment would bale clover, alfalfa, timothy, brome or cat tails for $2.50 a bale.
Since it is only 5 acres, get the cow off of it, rake out the patties and have him bale it. Others might advise you to rotational graze it. No matter what, you need the weeds cut before they go to seed. The cow will pick around your worst weeds, eating just the grass you'd like to encourage.

Pony · #3 05/07/12, 08:56 PM

If you're going to feed it to the goats (Winter feed?), I'd check it to see how much alfalfa and clover are in it.

Caprine nutritional needs differ from cows. Cows can get by on some pretty stemmy stuff; goats need the protein and calcium.

where I want to · #4 05/07/12, 09:15 PM

Sigh- I hate to say this but the only hay in our area has the occasional cow plop in it and I pay $22 per 120 lb bale. Since the hay is well cured, these "extras" are really dry too. Baling up even semi-dry plop could have enough wet to start mold growing.

PrettyPaisley · #5 05/07/12, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

If you're going to feed it to the goats (Winter feed?), I'd check it to see how much alfalfa and clover are in it.

Caprine nutritional needs differ from cows. Cows can get by on some pretty stemmy stuff; goats need the protein and calcium.

I supplement my goats year round with alfalfa pellets and flakes.

**Ross** · #6 05/08/12, 05:04 AM

Your cow is picking out the best stuff first and leaving the worst. Once its grazed its not really a hay field its a stem field. I'd pass. A dry cow patty won't hurt unless she has parasites though. Lotta wasted feed in a cow patty.

Cliff · #7 05/08/12, 06:33 AM

Fyi, weeds don't automatically = bad. Depends on the kinds of weeds. Grazing animals will use weeds as medicine. And a pasture with weeds can be more nutritious than straight grass. And you can make hay out of weedy pasture

haypoint · #8 05/08/12, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Fyi, weeds don't automatically = bad. Depends on the kinds of weeds. Grazing animals will use weeds as medicine. And a pasture with weeds can be more nutritious than straight grass. And you can make hay out of weedy pasture

The weeds that your cow won't eat in the pasture are generally the weeds your cow won't eat in the bale. I doubt Bossie says, " I'm cramping a lot today. I guess I'll go eat some of that Midol weed, that should do it."
Some weeds are digestible and have nutritional value. No matter how hard you try, you'll get weeds. I just don't want to pay $2.50 for my own weeds.

richmond1273 · #9 05/08/12, 10:55 AM

Geezzz!!! local farmer bales our field for $1.25 a bale.....

coolrunnin · #10 05/08/12, 11:22 AM

2.50 a bale is a little high for around here as well, but then fuel is way up this year as well.

Have a third party look over the field, and get there opinion of its worth for baling if you aren't familiar with grasses.

I can't see how one cows poop on 5 acres would even be an issue.

poorboy · #11 05/08/12, 11:55 AM

The rake is set low enough to cause a problem with cowpatties, it(rake) won't last worth a snowball in h..er July..

haypoint · #12 05/08/12, 12:52 PM

Cows and goats will eat weedy hay when they get hungry enough.

Expect hay prices to take a jump. Fuel prices and the shortage of hay ground are the main reasons. Weather can add to that problem. Lots of fields were pulled out of hay production to provide more corn ground.

springvalley · #13 05/08/12, 01:09 PM

The days of getting a neighbor to bale your hay for little or nothing are long gone. Equipment, fuel, labor, are high so no one wants to work for nothing. My Dad use to bale for a couple neighbors for a .25 a bale, that was just baling. A couple years ago, I baled some for a neighbor for 1.00 a bale. If someone is cutting, raking, and baling the hay, 2.50 a bale that isn`t bad. Boy if you could get them to put it in the barn for 2.75 that would be the berries. We use to rent a farm thirty years ago, we baled the hay on shares and put the landlords half in the barn for him, he had it good, because my dad had several sons to do the work. I like the idea of having a third party look at it for you, ask some one you know and trust about hay making. > Thanks Marc
Or better yet, take some pictures for all of us to see.

coolrunnin · #14 05/08/12, 01:28 PM

Last year I did the neighbors on shares but it was round and he is 72 and broke his arm, thought I ought to do the neighborly thing.
I left him with 2/3 just took enough to cover my fuel.

sammyd · #15 05/08/12, 02:56 PM

I'd price what grassy hay is locally. Neighbor just sold over 1500 bales of alfalfa for 2.50 a bale. Paying someone to bale my pasture hay for 2.50 wouldn't be a good deal at all.

FarmboyBill · #16 05/08/12, 03:06 PM

Im haveing to pay $15 a bale for alfalfa here.

If its weeds, Next winter, U might be supprised how the goats like it. If you dont want to feed it to them. U still gotta feed the cow. Seperate it and feed her that hay shes on now. Shell pick out what she wants, and rap on the disgard again come winter. OR lay on it.

Joshie · #17 05/08/12, 03:39 PM

Our neighbor mows and bales ours for halves. Square bales of horse quality hay cost about $3.50.

o&itw · #18 05/08/12, 04:32 PM

Paisley,
As you can see, hay prices very widely with location, etc. If the cattle has been on the field, it may have eaten most of the best stuff. You could bush hog it, and it may still be early enough to get a good growth on the grass, but that is more expense. It might be best till wait till latter in the year and see how the grass recovers.. or maybe into next year.

It will give you some time to plan and check other custom balers in your area for pricing.
If you can deal with large round bales, they might be less expensive to get put up.

Silvercreek Farmer · #19 05/09/12, 04:17 PM

How many animals/acres of pasture do you have total? You might be able to winter them on that pasture without having to even mess with much hay if you stock pile in the fall and divide it up in the winter. Even if that is not enough, it may offset a lot of your hay requirements.

Either way, I'd try to figure out how to feed round bales if at all possible, I do it pretty easily without a large tractor. They usually go for $25-30 in this part of NC. At 800 lbs they are roughly equivalent to 16-50 lb square bales or $40 worth at $2.50 . Even if 1/4 of it gets "wasted" (you can still use it for mulch, compost ect) you are still ahead of the game in terms of labor required to feed your animals. Plus you get the fertilizer value of the manure (estimated at $10 a round bale or so).

gila_dog · #20 05/10/12, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Fyi, weeds don't automatically = bad. Depends on the kinds of weeds. Grazing animals will use weeds as medicine. And a pasture with weeds can be more nutritious than straight grass. And you can make hay out of weedy pasture

Goats will benefit from weedy hay. They are not grazers (grass eaters) like cows or horses. They are browsers and they like, and need, a variety of things in their feed. The last thing I want for goat hay is pure grass hay. They get bored with it, and it doesn't satisfy their nutritional needs. The farmer that grows my hay grazes cows on his fields at times so there is always a little dried cow manure in it. He knows to get the cows off the fields when it's time to start growing hay, so there's only a little dry manure in it. There is also some elk poop in it. The goats just eat around it. His hay is part alfalfa, part grass, and some weeds. The goats love it.