# baled crabgrass??



## txranchinmama (Oct 20, 2011)

We are in Texas so hay is plenty scarce around here. A friend of ours called and asked if we knew anything about baling crabgrass. DH has been baling for 20 years now and knows nothing about it. Since there is no hay here, people are baling up crap and selling it for a fortune. This guy says there is 18% protein. That may be, I don't know. But is it palatable? People have been buying swamp grass bales down here from Arkansas and no animals down here will eat the stuff.

So, anybody know about baled crabgrass?

Thanks!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

txranchinmama said:


> We are in Texas so hay is plenty scarce around here. A friend of ours called and asked if we knew anything about baling crabgrass. DH has been baling for 20 years now and knows nothing about it. Since there is no hay here, people are baling up crap and selling it for a fortune. This guy says there is 18% protein. That may be, I don't know. But is it palatable? People have been buying swamp grass bales down here from Arkansas and no animals down here will eat the stuff.
> 
> So, anybody know about baled crabgrass?
> 
> Thanks!


I have read that crab grass does indeed have a very high protein content of around 18%. I know crabgrass takes a couple more days to completely dry down(cure) than most grasses in my experiences.

Regards, Mike


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

I have a feild with a couple of acres of crabgrass in it, the cows don't seem to sort through it any different than any other hay. Besides in a crissis year, poor hay is better than no hay.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

If it's really crabgrass, it will have a small seed which can get under livestocks gums and sometimes cause infection/inflamation along the gum line. Bale it while the seed heads are soft and it is OK.

Ralph


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

if i had a choice i'd rather have it as bermuda grass.Dairy cows will milk very good on it


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## jdhayboy (Aug 20, 2010)

I just got done baling some crabgrass... It grows, i guess, wild out here in our corn fields. Our cows seem to do very well on it. It does take a long to dry though... the stuff i baled I let lay on the ground for 5 days raked it on the 6th and baled on the 7th. Now, this was done during fall weather which takes a little longer to dry than summer weather. But I have seen people baling this stuff in 4-5 days. Me... NO WAY its not dryed like it should be, end of story. I cut a little bermuda and it wasnt dry on day 5. It hand twist in two, but if you really look at it the stems arent dry. Fall time hay baling can really fool you. From what I have experienced. 
Be careful of what you buy during the fall, especially crab grass. But crab grass is, to me, great hay if baled properly.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

jdhayboy said:


> I just got done baling some crabgrass... It grows, i guess, wild out here in our corn fields.


I was wondering when you were going to bale that field. There was more grass in there than any other field around here.


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