# Feeding Soybean hay



## NE Texas (Jul 1, 2010)

Has anyone had experience feeding soybean hay to cattle, cows or stockers? We are growing a forage variety for hay this year for the first time and would like to get some feedback as to how cows do on it. It is suppose to be comparible to Alfalfa quality wise, but we cant grow good alfalfa this far south, so we are hoping this may be a good alternative for a high protein forage.


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## jpritchett (Sep 22, 2009)

We bale alot of bean stubble. We sell it to feedlots that grind it up and mix it with distillers from the ethanol plants. Last year we baled 1900 bales of edible bean stubble which are alot higher in protein than soybeans. We used to bale alot of soybeans but the last couple years have been mostly going to the edibles. Last year we only baled a quarter of soybeans. I would recommend baling with netwrap.


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## NE Texas (Jul 1, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback. I am thinking of wrapping it in plastic after it is baled. I dont have barns to keep it in and I dont think that netwrap alone would work, at least that is what I am being told. Have you had any experience wraping hay in plastic tubes?


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## Steve Wilson (Oct 17, 2009)

We grew two varieties of forage haybeans a couple of years ago. I also added German Foxtail Millet to bring the roughage up and the protien content down since the hay was not intended to be a substitute for alfalfa. The cattle really cleaned that stuff up; you couldn't find anything left inside the bale ring.

I'm sure you are already aware that you need to rake haybeans when there is still a trace of moisture left on them to prevent leaf shatter. Carrying a bale of haybeans out across the field is even more dangerous than a bale of hybrid pearl millet. The cattle swarm you like they are starving Ethiopians and you are packing the last food they will ever see.


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## NE Texas (Jul 1, 2010)

I was planning on using a mower conditioner and just baling from that windrow. I dont want to rake and loose leaves if I can help it. I have a JD1219 sickle mower conditioner that I plan to use. I assume that the sickle more will work well on the beans, they will still be green so hopefully it will cut well. Have you ever cut beans with a sickle? 
As for feeding, I plan to feed the soybean hay with grass hay, and hopefully nothing else. 
Thanks for your feedback.



Steve Wilson said:


> We grew two varieties of forage haybeans a couple of years ago. I also added German Foxtail Millet to bring the roughage up and the protien content down since the hay was not intended to be a substitute for alfalfa. The cattle really cleaned that stuff up; you couldn't find anything left inside the bale ring.
> 
> I'm sure you are already aware that you need to rake haybeans when there is still a trace of moisture left on them to prevent leaf shatter. Carrying a bale of haybeans out across the field is even more dangerous than a bale of hybrid pearl millet. The cattle swarm you like they are starving Ethiopians and you are packing the last food they will ever see.


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## Steve Wilson (Oct 17, 2009)

We also mowed it with a JD mower conditioner but I don't know how well it would have baled if not raked. Let us know how it works out.


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## Haymike56 (May 3, 2010)

This is an interesting idea. my dad talks about when he was a kid they used to shock the beans for feed in the winter for dairy cows. Has anyone tried using these as a cover crop in new seeding? What stage would you cut them?


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