# Does anyone bale late season prairie hay?



## triguy46 (Mar 24, 2009)

Mine is chest deep with all the rain we've had. It's got to be cut/mowed at some point, only a few weeks till a frost. Would it be sellable?


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## chadl (Mar 23, 2009)

Good question. Have the same one myself. I think it depends on how bad the weather is this winter.


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## Hedge tree (Jul 18, 2008)

Unfortunately, if this is native grass hay that was not cut earlier...it has matured to seed stage, the stems will be pretty big and stiff, and most of the RFV will be gone. Of course, if there was a lack of hay in your area, it would work to keep cows busy...and could be ground to be more palatable. Here....it will be difficult to get rid of alfalfa hay in rolls for last year's grinding price, so it would not work here as a product for sale...personal use would be another thing. We cut in Central, Ks...when weather permits, as soon after July 4th as possible (KDWP wants you to wait until July 12 for nesting upland birds).

Hay cut and baled into small squares from this time of the summer is quality stuff....and you have to work to get $100/ton for it.

You can always do a controlled burn in the spring....that is actually good for native grass meadows. Interseed some legumes after the burn if you want to pump up the hay value. Just my thoughts....hay will be pretty coarse and low in feed value now.


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## okhillbilly (Jun 18, 2009)

I'm going to mow mine this year. This is going to be a second cut. I'll feed and sell some as cow hay. Most everyone around central OK try to cut it a 2nd time around Sept 15th. Mine got alot of bermuda mixed in it. I'm also going to try and get a 4th cut on a field of lovegrass/bermuda mix. It's a little late but the rains suppose to hold off a week.


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## nwks baler (Jul 18, 2008)

triguy46 said:


> Mine is chest deep with all the rain we've had. It's got to be cut/mowed at some point, only a few weeks till a frost. Would it be sellable?


We have sold that type of grass to feedlots that feed straw, they normally pay the same price as straw.

I have some crp on some land we bought that the contract is over I think this month. We will cut and bale it in October.


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## triguy46 (Mar 24, 2009)

I guess you guys are right. I did bale in July and did OK. It's awfully stemmy and seeded out now. Too many safety issues with a burn, will just brush hog it after it freezes.


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