Baling sericea lespedeza

Awnry Abe · #1 09/01/12, 09:04 PM

I am thinking about baling the two pastures that I have which are thick with sericea lespedeza for my goats and possibly cattle this winter. Is there an optimal stage to look for in the growth for cutting? Should I let it dry in the same manner as hay?

Gregg Alexander · #2 09/02/12, 07:09 AM

You need to bale with some moisture on the leaves as that is where the feed value is. Has a short dry time cut and bale with moisture or you will have stems and no leaves.

glenn amolenaar · #3 09/02/12, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Alexander

You need to bale with some moisture on the leaves as that is where the feed value is. Has a short dry time cut and bale with moisture or you will have stems and no leaves.

Like above post also cows will eat it stem and all if you can cut when closer to 16"/20" if it gets to tall and stemmy you are baling more stem that is just waste. This is the bulk of my hay and pasture going on 32 years.
Glenn

Gregg Alexander · #4 09/02/12, 09:28 AM

your right, should have noted that. I had a small field yrs ago that would make some good hay. We would cut in the range you stated and bale just at daylight or just before sundown when the dew fell. Around here most has been pushed out and I can't think of anyone that has any amount in their fields.

ksfarmer · #5 09/02/12, 11:46 AM

In Kansas, sericea lespedeza is considered a noxious weed. Almost impossible to irradicate in rangeland. I wouldn't transport any hay bales across the state line.
That said, cattle will eat the hay. The problem is more in grazing, it is high in tannin and not palatable to cattle. It is also very invasive and crowds out our more desirable grasses. The tannin level drops when it is cured for hay, which is why it can be used for hay.

Awnry Abe · #6 09/02/12, 11:15 PM

Thanks. I'm not going to transport it any further than the edge of the pasture and back when I feed it out. Some may make it to the goat pen. Should I count on less than a 3 day rest? There will be some grass, but not a lot.

southerngurl · #7 09/03/12, 08:31 AM

It's a very beneficial forage for goats. High in Protein and the tannins are a natural wormer shown effective against barberpole worm. Has to be about forty per ent of their diet to be effective.

loli · #8 09/03/12, 09:40 AM

I had that stuff really bad until the goats started grazing it a couple of years ago. It is a noxious weed in Kansas and the goats love it and every year the stand comes back with less and less. Keeps me from spraying it and having to pull everything off the pastures. The cattle only bother with it in the spring when it is young. seems likes the goats eat it first. Sorry that doesn't answer your question about baling it, but I have never known of anyone that baled it intentionally. My horses won't eat it at all.

agmantoo · #9 09/03/12, 10:27 AM

CrownRanch
Here is an article that has some good info on sericea including info on baling. I use sericea primarily on poor low producing ground to build soil and to reduce erosion. During a drought it is also nice to have sericea as it will tolerate dry conditions better than most plants. Definitely it is not the devil it is made out to be. Learning how to manage and use it alters ones opinion of the plant.
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1318/ANR-1318.pdf

myersfarm · #10 09/03/12, 11:29 AM

I use to bale it after it got 3 foot tall to get the kinks worked out of my equipment.. the cattle neighbors thought I was a CRAZY CITY GUY WITH MORE MONEY THEN SENSE...I let the bales set for a year in the pasture and it seemed the cows would eat some of it...but I also used it to roll down the cattle paths when I bought the farm cattle paths snaked everywere and the long stems blocked the water washing down them cattle did get in there and eat some but there was grass always avaliable... but it sure stopped the cow paths was like putting down a mat plus the cows did not want to walk thought that mess

PaulNKS · #11 09/04/12, 01:51 PM

Just a reminder. It is illegal in some states such as Kansas. Here, you can't bring it in from other states, plant it, or sell the hay.

Awnry Abe · #12 09/04/12, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulNKS

Just a reminder. It is illegal in some states such as Kansas. Here, you can't bring it in from other states, plant it, or sell the hay.

Yep. It will be staying at the edge of the pasture until I need it this winter. I'll try to keep it from blowing your way.