# Baling Johnson Grass for Hay



## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Cut the hay patch today. Started out as a drilled Pearl Millet field but wound up with 40% 8' Johnson grass, some of the Pearl I originally planted, volunteer Foxtail which got up over a couple of feet, and who knows what other local grass (lot of things I didn't recognize), plus your usual weed representation.

I have a drum mower and love it but it doesn't crimp. So last year I acquired a couple of crimpers.

The plan was to crimp the JG as I had let it grow out waiting for the PM to do something which it didn't. I realize the protein and digestibility on mature crops but that wasn't the plan....I wanted to get some PM up and usable.

"Anyhew" while making the rounds I picked up a few samples of the JG and was interested in the stem moisture. Pinching the cut end yielded none, cutting half in two lengthwise and running my thumb down the stem "innerds" didn't either. I assume the dry, not drought, dry weather and allowing the crop to fully head out and mature sucked it up.

Sooooo the question is why do I have to worry about stem moisture? I have a couple of 100+ days today and tomorrow and after that high 90's and lots of sun. The rest of it ought to cure naturally in 2-3 days.

Anybody have this kind of crop, roll it and not have any problems?

Thanks,

Mark


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

Your Johnson grass is early there. It comes up here after the first cut and reachs what you discribe in late August here. Weather is a tad bit cooler here as well. Have put up lots of Johnson grass without a crimper/conditioner and not had any problems. Our temps on average is then about 85 with high humidity. Highs in the upper 80's and low 90's with nightly lows in the 70's. Lots of dew on it in the mornings. A few people wont but or use Johnson Grass period but a lot will feed it with no hesitation.

I got and early first cut a week before labor day and with all the rain the Johnson grass busted out and it is getting thicker. I'm thinking abot cutting it middle of this month and try for a third cut in late September. May end up shredding the third cut because it will more than likley turn dry during that time.

Sold some to a neighbor last year and the cows didnt leave a scrap of it. It makes good feed.

I dont think you will have any problem at all with it.

CW


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

cwright said:


> Your Johnson grass is early there. It comes up here after the first cut and reachs what you discribe in late August here. Weather is a tad bit cooler here as well. Have put up lots of Johnson grass without a crimper/conditioner and not had any problems. Our temps on average is then about 85 with high humidity. Highs in the upper 80's and low 90's with nightly lows in the 70's. Lots of dew on it in the mornings. A few people wont but or use Johnson Grass period but a lot will feed it with no hesitation.
> 
> I got and early first cut a week before labor day and with all the rain the Johnson grass busted out and it is getting thicker. I'm thinking abot cutting it middle of this month and try for a third cut in late September. May end up shredding the third cut because it will more than likley turn dry during that time.
> 
> ...


Thank you sir. Great news.

Before the Sudan/sorghum cross hybrid hay cropping seed that became popular around here, back in the days of the sickle mower, before the MOCO, it was the hay of choice. Apparently if a crimper was around here you never saw it; I didn't. Was that way for many years so as you said, the animals apparently loved it and it got by without crimping.

However, one of the two crimpers I found was either an IH or NH 404 and it was dated. Bought it from a neighbor out of his worn equipment boneyard on his 3rd generation farm.....had 3 or 4 worn out chain round balers in there with a lot of other things, so apparently he/they "well" used it.....don't know on what.

Since the cost of seed has gone out of sight I have been messing around the last couple of years looking for something to plant that was perennial. Doubt that one could top JG and looks like that's where my field is headed, on it's own.

Again thanks for the FB.

Mark


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## Don Pine (Feb 2, 2012)

cwright said:


> this month and try for a third cut in late September. May end up shredding the third cut because it will more than likley turn dry during that time.


CW,

Shredding? Meaning you will not put it up for hay? Because it's dry?

JG saved my @$$ last year, my first time to bale it. Nothing else grew with the drought. The cows loved it! I'm intentionally growing it this year, but all from volunteer stands. I couldn't find a seed house that would ship JG seed to Illinois. (Funny with the 100's of acres of CRP ground around me thick with the stuff.)


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I don't think anything around the farm gets under my wife's skin more than Johnson grass. She only has a couple of stalks of the stuff and has burned it down with Glyphosate numerous times but it keeps coming back. At least it's on the edge of field and not in it. I noticed it was coming out in head yesterday. She clips the seed heads and sprays the crap out of the stalk. Some around here have allowed it to grow out of control and can't get rid of it now.


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

*Sorghum halepense*, commonly called *Johnson grass*,

*History*: Brought to South Carolina in the early 1800s as a forage crop. Continues to spread by seed dispersal in agricultural machinery.Introduced from the Mediterranean region.

Almost all states now list it as invasive weed which by todays standard it is. It takes a small fortune and a lot of time to get rid of it, neither of which I have. I've decided to just live with it like many others have.

It kills out the cool season grass in patches and those patches produce less of the desirable cool season grass in the spring. The good thing is you can get the first cut off with out the Johnson Grass but less yield because of it.. Second cut is going to end up as cattle feed.

Drought or frost causes the prussic acid problem and there is a nitrate problem with it as well. But there are good points too. If the prussic acid and nitrate is managed by proper grazing and harvesting the livestock gets feed.

Don Asked "Shredding? Meaning you will not put it up for hay? Because it's dry?"

I meant to say I might get a third cut if the rain keeps up,but more than likley the weather will turn dry and the yield so low I will just shread it up.

Mark said: "Since the cost of seed has gone out of sight I have been messing around the last couple of years looking for something to plant that was perennial. Doubt that one could top JG and looks like that's where my field is headed, on it's own."

Lots would frown on going down that road but I say why not since the Sudan/Sorhgum grasses have the same issues with prussic acid and nitrate why spend money to reseed every year.

Although Johnson Grass has a bad rap. It trumps a snowball any day.

CW


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## countryboy88 (Oct 20, 2011)

Around here its a invasive weed and is supposed to carry a fine if you have it in your fields (don't have the problem under control) but the DNR ( Dept. Natural Resources) chooses not to enforce the fines to the landowners.

I have a field that's right next door to my house that's full of Johnson grass after the first cutting that the field is over run with it. It has found its way in to hay field but I choose to spray for weeds and try to control it from spreading. So far this has worked but I don't know if I am fighting a loosing battle or not.

I would check with your local Ag. extension office to see if its legal for you to do so, before you plant a stand of it and have a hefty fine coming in the mail.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

I'm probably going to break out the rope wick and Roundup to try to kill off some patches of johnson grass over the July 4th holiday week. I hate the stuff.

The main problem is that it is a fast growing plant that will quickly crowd out the preferred grasses. I think it grows faster than Kudzu, lol.

If I had cows, I'd probably bale it and feed it, but there's not much market for johnson grass hay around here.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Got her done. Cut it Thurs. Temp was 101 and windy, low humidity. Checked Fri. 102 and was doing fine. Checked again yesterday morning. Had a norther blow in so wind was good and out of the N meaning dry. With that and the temps with sunshine, perfect curing conditions I use the 3 turn twist "calibrated drying scale" for my baling. Putting a wad between both hands touching, palms down, hold on tight and make 3 twists. If it pops you are good to go.

The first wad I picked up, non-crimped, burst, not shred but burst in 1/2 turn. Ready. Spent the morning flipping over the less dried bottoms and by 3 pm was ready. Baled up real nice and smells great.

Cows were down wind and lined up on the fence.......hmmmmm penny for their thoughts. Grin.

I hear you about the persistence of the "weed". To me weed is a subjective term and the use is dependent upon your relationship to it. For me, It's gonna be great.

Neat thing is that Friday thru Monday the weather forecast is for isolated thunder storms. Yessssss. Weather has really been nice for growing here this year. Sorry some of you folks aren't getting it the way you need it. For me, it's about time. Been several years since weather cooperated.

Mark


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