Full Answer
When should wheat forage be cut for hay?
When wheat forage is used for hay or silage, it should be cut at the boot stage or at very early head emergence. At these early stages, wheat forage is very palatable and has a high nutritive value.
What does the weather have to do with hay?
A few shots of mild air, along with some rain drops, will bring a few tastes of Spring to the state over the next week. Wet weather can make hay making difficult. Therefore, it's especially important to monitor the temperature and condition of stored hay. Learn how to sustainably manage beef cattle, sheep, and meat goats on pasture.
How to prevent Hay fires and maximize Hay quality?
However, recent research also has shown that losses of energy from heated hays are perhaps more important (Figure 1); therefore, preventing or limiting spontaneous heating is critical to prevent hay fires, but also to maximize hay quality.
Can you use wheat for hay or silage?
Wheat hay or silage. When wheat forage is used for hay or silage, it should be cut at the boot stage or at very early head emergence. At these early stages, wheat forage is very palatable and has a high nutritive value.
How do you improve Hayfield?
FORAGE MANAGEMENT TIPSPlant warm-season grasses once soil temperature has reached 60 F.Clip, graze or make hay to prevent seedhead formation on cool-season grass pastures and hayfields.Rotate to new pastures when grazed down to 4-5 inches.Do NOT mow hayfields closer than 3-4 inches.More items...
Do hay fields get sprayed?
The vast majority of farmers spray their hayfields and pastures with herbicides for broadleaf weed control. Today's hay customers expect weed-free sources of hay for their animals and farmers must meet the demand of their customers. Herbicides used today are safe as far as having low toxicity to humans and animals.
How do you take care of a hay field?
Steps to renovate an old hayfield:Assess the condition of the field, your goals and your resources.Get a soil test.Mow field with a rotary mower.Lime and fertilize.Remove rocks and stumps.Till (if necessary) and seed.
What kind of fertilizer do you put on hay fields?
Commonly used N fertilizers for grass hay production include urea, or ammonium sulfate. Urea, with 46% N, is the most concentrated commercial source but must be applied shortly before rain or irrigation to prevent significant loss of the N to the atmosphere as volatile ammonia.
What is the best to spray on hay fields?
The most common herbicides used for control of many broadleaf weeds in grass hay/pasture this time of year are the plant growth regulator herbicides such as 2,4-D, dicamba (Clarity, etc.), triclopyr products (Crossbow, Remedy Ultra, etc.), and clopyralid (Stinger, PastureGard, etc.).
What do you spray on hay?
Some common ingredients used in hay preservatives are: 1 & 2 - Ammonium Propionate (buffered propionic acid) & Propionic Acid (more corrosive) are organic acids and the most common main ingredients in hay preservatives. Propionic acid was 1st registered as a pesticide in the early 1970's.
When should I fertilize my hay fields?
For grass hayfields, apply N when plants are in an active growth phase and will uptake the most N. Ample precipitation and/or soil moisture along with cooler temperatures provide plants the best chance to respond. Timely application will result in less loss due to leaching or denitrification.
Should I fertilize my hay field in the fall?
Late fall can be a good time to apply fertilizer and lime to pastures. Late fall can be a good time to apply fertilizer and lime to pastures. Make sure that weather conditions are right, mainly that soil is not getting compacted or ruts created during the application of lime or fertilizer.
How many years does a hay field last?
Depending on the type of grasses and legumes planted, some hayfields that are properly managed will last five or six years before they need to be worked up and replanted. They also help keep valuable nutrients in the topsoil where they are available for future crop use.
What is the best fertilizer for grazing?
March fertiliser and slurry recommendations At most stocking rates we are recommending a bag of protected urea per acre should be applied. In situations where phosphorus and potassium is low, subject to nutrient management advice, up to 2 1/2 bags of 18:6:12 per acre will give an excellent boost to grass growth.
What is the best liquid fertilizer for hay fields?
If you have equipment to spray liquid fertilizer we recommend the following: Hay field, pasture or turf – Grass and Clover or Alfalfa 1 lb. Maxicrop soluble seaweed mixed with 1 qt. 12% Bio Hume dissolved in enough water to cover 1 acre, spray after first and second cutting or rotation.
How do you increase yield of hay?
The most efficient way to fertilize a hay field is to split-apply N based on the expected yield of the next growth. The actual rate should be 50 pounds N per ton of expected hay yield. Research has shown that splitting N applications can increase N use efficiency 25 to 35 percent and yields by 5 to 10 percent.