# When to cut my Millet



## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Here is a picture of my brown top millet. This was taken from just inside the tree line at the edge of the field. This is my first year to raise it and I'm curious as to when I should cut it. I plan to make it into small square bales. Thanks for any advice.

--Kyle


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Looks like a great stand Kyle. I prefer to cut it just as it is bolting...before the seeds harden(early dough stage).

Regards, Mike


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks Mike. My other friend said to cut it just as soon I start to see seeds emerging. Looks like we are all in agreement on this. Wanna guess how many bales it will make??? It's approximately 5 acres planted.

--Kyle


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## Don Pine (Feb 2, 2012)

Kyle,

How'd the millet turn out?


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2012)

I prefer to cut it before it heads out,because it is still in its leafy stage. Once it heads out the plant sends most if not all its nutrition up to produce seed and the plants stem to leaf ratio changes drastically. Be sure and get a Nitrates test done and hopefully cut it with a mower conditioner but not windwrowed but instead laid flat as possible. tedding works well also to decrease drying time. Also when cutting (since it is so hard to dry) don't cut it all the way to the ground, but instead leave about 3-4 inches of growth there so that the cut and conditioned millet will lay on those cut stems instead of the ground. This will decrease drying time because air is allowed underneath. Lastly, I would plant a small stemmed millet for baling like Tiff Leaf 3 instead of Brown top.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

BeefCattleBiz said:


> Also when cutting (since it is so hard to dry) don't cut it all the way to the ground, but instead leave about 3-4 inches of growth there so that the cut and conditioned millet will lay on those cut stems instead of the ground. This will decrease drying time because air is allowed underneath.


The other thing leaving as much stubble as you can is that, quoting from my readings, sugars in the stubble are what makes the regrowth emerge. I have done both in a single field of sudan and it is amazing at what kind of difference this makes.

Mark


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