This grass tolerates a wide range of soil types and soil pH values, making it adapted to most of the southern U.S. Bermudagrass provides good nutrition for cows during the growing season and is used extensively to produce hay for winter feeding. you will address all nutrient, pH, and salinity limitations. Most hay for cow-calf production systems is sold on a per-round bale basis and there are two major problems with this. As the hay dries it loses roughly 1 percent of dry matter for each percent of moisture. The right choice is important so that your yard will thrive and look lush. Alfalfa hay is very digestible and can be high in crude protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals. Plant nitrates are expressed as ppm nitrate-N. To convert ppm nitrate-N to percent, divide by 10,000. The high quality grasses we selected for these mixtures are late maturing, high yielding varieties with high fiber digestibility. Norcross, GA. Ball, D.M., C.S. Mid-to late-maturity hay is usually more desirable for horses with lower nutrient requirements, while early-maturity hays are more appropriate for horses with high nutrient needs. The warm-season annual grasses (forage sorghums, sorghum-sudan hybrids, pearl millet) and johnsongrass are of greatest interest to hay producers as these plants are the most susceptible to nitrate accumulation. Bermudagrass has many uses other than pasture and hay, such as lawns, general-purpose turf, and erosion control. grazeable forages or hay crops in the South, with special emphasis on Texas, will be discussed in the following sections. is primarily used for grain and pasture though it can also be used for hay. It is more difficult to obtain an accurate forage sample from the field than from a bale. But before collecting soil samples for testing you should take a land inventory and evaluate your forage needs. Natives grasses may require longer time to establish and are less tolerant of overstocking. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) spreads mainly by rhizomes (underground stems) and stolons (horizontal aboveground stems). High levels of soluble salts in the soil can limit water uptake and forage productivity. Nelson, Billy D.,Lalit R. Verma, and C.R. Hoveland, and G.D. Lacefield. Hay Preservatives. Horse-quality hay begins at 10% CP and should approach 12% or more. Take a look at the most common grass types for Fort Worth lawns. Tall fescue also tolerates flooded conditions and grows well in soils that are typically too wet for many other forage grasses. The bottom line is that forage nutritive value declines as the plant matures. For additional information on managing prussic acid in forages, refer to Extension publication E-543, “Nitrates and Prussic Acid in Forages.”. Hay for sheep and goats should contain more protein and be more digestible than hay produced for the dry, pregnant cow. Aerobic (free oxygen requiring) bacteria then consume the oxygen remaining inside the hay within a few hours. The actual dry weight of hay is determined by adjusting for moisture content as measured by a moisture probe. You can choose any for cultivating on your field, depending on your local facilities, weather and availability of the seeds. Net wrap. Since hay may be the only source of nutrients for livestock during the winter, it is critical to know their nutrient requirements to ensure that the hay you feed will meet that need. The ideal way to sample hay is to use a bale probe, which removes a 1-inch-diameter core. These bunchgrasses are well adapted to North, Northcentral, and Central Texas because they are cold and drought tolerant. Southern Forages, 4th ed. A cow’s nutrient requirement is the greatest 60 to 80 days after calving. Hay production for feeding livestock is a well established agricultural practice. 2) and disk mowers (Fig. 1). I have to kill off St. Augustine, as it's starting to sprout in the middle of my Bermuda and looks like Crab Grass. Forage Grasses Forage grasses include (Crop Group 17) introduced and native grasses for … An animal’s condition affects its ability to tolerate nitrates, so consult your veterinarian before feeding forage that contains nitrates. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, E-543. Post by garseer » Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:15 am Can anyone around East Texas tell me the best grass to plant for hay. Under certain circumstances you may need to harvest hay at higher than recommended moisture content. Unlike prussic acid, nitrate levels do not decline after cutting or baling. A crude estimate of total protein is obtained by multiplying the percentage of total nitrogen by a constant of 6.25. It tolerates a variety of soil types and grows better in wet soils than any other cool-season annual grass. Crabgrass hay normally cures more slowly than bermudagrass but more quickly than sorghum-sudan hybrids or pearl millet. It is best adapted to mild-temperate climates. Buffalograss is best adapted for areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. If interested, check with your local county extension agent, NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) personnel, or Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist to determine which species are best adapted to your location. We also keep hundreds of different individual species and varieties available and are happy to assist you in designing custom blends for your specific project. These products are generally safe to use, though high relative humidity can reduce their effectiveness and unexpected rainfall can wash them off altogether. is generally the most winter hardy of the cool-season annual grasses. A perennial forage species will not need to be reestablished each year. Both products, however, can pose significant health risks to those applying the materials. The species of forage used for hay production will have a large impact on hay nutritive value. Anhydrous ammonia is difficult to apply and is a hazardous chemical. Perennial ryegrass is more persistent than annual ryegrass but less persistent in the Midwest than other cool season grass species. Dry matter yield, however, is usually less than well-managed bermudagrass. Hay mowers fall mainly into two classes — sickle-bar cutters (Fig. Weed infestation generally increases after drought or when land is not managed properly. The temperature of hay baled will increase during the first few weeks after baling. Most cattle ranchers use Coastal Bermuda Hay or some Bermuda hybrid. By-products of the fermentation process include volatile fatty acids (VFAs) that are absorbed into the ruminant’s bloodstream and metabolized for energy. Millet may require a hay conditioner (a piece of equipment that crimps and crushes newly cut hay to promote faster and more even drying) and more drying days than the fine-stemmed species such as bermudagrass. Research has shown that stand of 2/3 alfalfa and 1/3 grass can out yield a pure stand of either grass or alfalfa by as much as 40-50%. Phosphorous plays a major role in transferring energy from one part of the plant to another, enabling cell division and plant growth. Hay with this level of nitrate should not be used for livestock feed or bedding. Harvested forage that is left to be rained on may exceed 40 percent moisture content for an extended period of time and lose substantial energy content due to leaching of non-structural carbohydrates. After nitrogen, phosphorus is often the second most limiting nutrient. However, success depends upon skilled installation. https://tlclandscapesllc.com/how-long-to-water-grass/, Beginner Garden – How to Cultivate Fruits in Your Back Yard, What To Know About Sprinklers Start-Up And Maintenance. Acid detergent fiber content is an indirect indicator of overall forage digestibility or energy; as ADF increases total digestibility generally decreases. The following are some common forage types and species used for hay production. Do not use heat to dry samples. The “best” hay for any given horse depends on its particular nutrient requirements. I’m no expert, but my neighbors think I am. Once the moisture content in the windrow has reached the appropriate level, the forage can be baled into round or square bales. An additional 300,000 acres are planted on prepared seedbed. Though Table 4 may appear to indicate only a slight economical advantage to the herbicide treatment, each season usually requires more than one mechanical treatment. To reduce losses, hay can be stored under tarps specifically designed for this task. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water, and Forage Testing Laboratory reports nitrate in forage as actual nitrate, which differs from plant nitrate analysis for other plants. Crude protein (CP) is the second important component of forage nutritive value. Bermudagrass is productive from spring until fall and is well-suited for grazing or hay production. Laboratory analyses for protein, however, are expressed as. Dallisgrass is also subject to ergot (Claviceps spp.) Then place 1 pint of this mixture in a soil sample bag. One quick test is the diphenylamine spot test. To sample bales for nitrate, take core samples with a bale probe. Phosphorous is less available in deeper soil and can be depleted when it is not replaced after hay harvests. Download a printer-friendly version of this publication: Hay Production in Texas. Contrasts between mowing and herbicide for controlling pasture weeds. 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