# Hay Grazer 4X5.5 bales



## pwheeler (Nov 30, 2018)

Any of you guys bale hay grazer? Big ranch in my area is planting lots of acres in hay grazer this year. What are the pros and cons of putting this course grass into a round bale. I may bale some of it. Should I go out and buy a conditioner or will I be able to use my rotary mower and then give it a little more time to cure before baling? I think it is kinda like johnson grass with big stalky base and stem. Thanks


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I had to really tighten up the rolls on mine to get the moisture squeezed out of it. Not likely to get it dried without a conditioner. I even plant 75-100 lbs per acre to get the smaller stems. Cattle love it. Doesn't sell well in my area though


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

IMHO Sudan AKA haygrazer isn't difficult to bale. One needs to utilize a conditioner & then with good weather it will take 5-7 days to dry down to 15% moisture. I've seen a lot of Sudan rd bales that the hay is """tobacco brown in color""" after rd bales have been rowed up from being baled at too high moisture for hay. In my area with the lack of carry over rd bales I will guess any type rd bales will sell well.


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## pwheeler (Nov 30, 2018)

Thanks for the information. Is there an optimal growth stage to cut this type of hay. How tall (approximately) is the hay at the optimal harvesting stage? I'm assuming that it is like johnson grass and needs to be cut sometime around or at the boot stage. We don't seem to have any or much Sudan (hay grazer) in my area, that I know of. I figure a conditioner is a must with fertilized grass of this type. If it is anything like johnson grass it will have big stalk. Will the cows also eat the stalk?


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

If Sudan is planted fairly thick the stalks shouldn't get very large if cut around boot stage. Of coarse weather has a bearing on optimum cutting time.


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