# Wheat for round bales?



## everhart cattle (Apr 28, 2011)

Wanting to get some other thoughts on mowing wheat for hay. My reason for it is this: If I do this I won't have to buy hay this coming winter and secondly I will be able to plant corn on it since the wheat will be headed out in a week and will be ready to cut in about 2 weeks. Let me know what you think.


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## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

Yes, well maybe. With the price of wheat this year how many bushel per acre, what will be aprox RFV of wheat hay and tonage per acre , RFV of purchaed hay& cost per ton, how many bushels of corn per acre can you average ??? Normally I would say cut the hay and plant beans. This year it is a crap shoot ! We really need a little more info, Please.

scrapiron


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

Straw is like gold here, people are paying ALOT more for staw of any kind clean wheat, dirty rained on barley, oat straw full of hay seeding. It all boils down to supply and demand. If there is a strong demand in your area like there is here someone will come to see you about buying it.
I realize wheat is not as bad as barley, but the old story that I was always told was the beards can cause alot of mischeif if in feed, I know that you will be wanting to get this cut before head, don't be late.


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

We have been cutting wheat hay for over 30 years now and if it is put up right it can be protein levels up to 21%. I do wheat and tritcalie hay each year in this area. It is NOT straw if done right, when it is cut during boot or pre-head stage. makes very good starter hay for cattle .I bale many thousands of big bales every year .If you want good wheat hay cut it like i said above or plant beardless types . I looked at some the other day we done last year for a 75000 head yard and it was just as nice of green as it was the day we baled it.


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## BCFENCE (Jul 26, 2008)

In my opinion it would be some very expensive hay considering how much wheat and straw are bringing. But thats just my area. I raise enough alfalfa to bale the first cutting for myself and sell the rest. I dont no where you are from , That would help me know what you will have to pay for hay if you run your wheat and have to buy hay.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

panhandle9400 said:


> We have been cutting wheat hay for over 30 years now and if it is put up right it can be protein levels up to 21%. I do wheat and tritcalie hay each year in this area. It is NOT straw if done right, when it is cut during boot or pre-head stage. makes very good starter hay for cattle .I bale many thousands of big bales every year .If you want good wheat hay cut it like i said above or plant beardless types . I looked at some the other day we done last year for a 75000 head yard and it was just as nice of green as it was the day we baled it.


Yeah, this would be great in your climate, ph9400, but if you are in a more humid climate and have rain every other day in late April and early May, it is almost impossible to get wheat hay dry if the head is not out yet. Takes about 5 good days minimum. Seen a lot of barns burn in S. IN full of wheat hay that felt dry, looked dry, even tested on the baler dry, but the head was full of moisture still inside the stem. The only way it can be done in a humid climate is silage or balage or wait until it heads, then you have over-glorified straw.


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

yes haybaler thats right most hard to dry out is the boot or the head , i should of said that critical fact. most of the time here it is windy and getting hot during that time of season,


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

If you want to enter a hay contest and take home the Grand Champion Trophy wheat or oats is the way to go. 
Some of that is true quality and some is the scoring system.

Here wheat or oat hay is usually the worst of all the sorry hay types. They are ready to cut just when it decides to rain. By the time the ground is dry enough to run on they are well past prime.

Small grain hay harvested in the grain stage the rats and mice get the grain leaving a straw filler for the livestock.

Round Bales of wheat or oats & stored outside rot down to nothing quicker than even alfalfa.

Some years they are also the only thing available to feed.


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