Hay Yields Way Down

Part Time Pete · Jul 13, 2015

Looks like no rain in the month of May had an affect on my hay. I fertilized the first week in May, a day before the weather guessers said we were supposed to get rain, then it didn't rain for a month - I think I lost a lot of it.
Finally got some small squares in yesterday - a piece that yielded 315 bales last year gave me 190 this year - it was nice stuff, but just not a lot there.
I guess the uncertainty is part of the fun...

MSS3020 · Jul 13, 2015

Wish I could have sent you some of our rain in may.. had 20 some inches just in may and early june.. thats the usual total for the year.. So far my Hay yields haven't gained over a "normal" year though.. with that much rain most of it ran off after the initial soaking..Funny thing though this year the timothy has came in in force.. the usual heads in past years have been like 2-3 inches.. this year Im seeing 8 inch timothy heads.. Guessing it likes rain..

Texasmark1 · Jul 13, 2015

If you incorporated the fertilizer into the soil immediately after applying it and had no erosion, the fert is still there waiting for something to consume it. BTDT

Like mss, got too much rain this spring and when I finally got in the 1st cutting it was matured. Lots of volume but lots of stems and heads too....didn't loose many seed pods. I just did my second cutting yesterday and had a nice crop, actually one of my best. Rain stopped a week ago and I had 45 days on the regrowth which should give me a very good protein level including the fact that I got no rain on it and with low humidity, 95 degrees, 10-15 mph winds and full sunshine, cut day B4 yesterday and baled yesterday.

James Howell · Jul 13, 2015

Same situation here on our farm in NE Texas.

Started cutting hay after 4pm on Thursday.

Started baling hay 12 noon on Saturday.

Our small field made 40 bales on third cutting last year.

Same small field made 52 bales on first cutting this year.

No complaints.

Part Time Pete · Jul 13, 2015

I didn't incorporate it - just top dressed urea on existing grass meadows. I had always heard that if you don't get some rain on it. you lose some to evaporation.
We had lots of rain in June, so hopefully as the summer goes on we'll start getting some second growth in the stuff we haven't done yet
Pete

cool hand · Jul 13, 2015

Our grass hay is yielding significantly less this year, also due, I believe, to a very dry month of May. Strangely, the alfalfa yielded well due to good early growth in April. Now the second cutting is really pushing, but can't get two dry days to get it done. It's raining right now in SE IN.

JOCCO · Jul 13, 2015

Old proverb wet may plenty of hay same situation here.

showcrop · Jul 13, 2015

I baled a little piece Saturday that usually gives me 85 bales. This year I got 110. It was so light that it took me three times around before I got enough tension on the baler, LOL.

old · Jul 13, 2015

Yep but to much rain can be as bad. Here in Missouri I should be done with the hay back in the middle of June but could not cut ti due to rain. Maybe able to get at it in the next few days but calling for more rain tomorrow and Wednesday

John_PA · Jul 13, 2015

Glad you got some put up.

My timothy and clover rotted standing up. It looks just as brown as the wheat fields. My wheat sprouted in the heads, and my oats lodged and then sprouted on the ground.

It's been a terrible year for crops, 3 years in a row.

Hay Yields Way Down

Part Time Pete

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MSS3020

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Texasmark1

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James Howell

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Part Time Pete

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cool hand

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JOCCO

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showcrop

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old

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John_PA

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