# Pearl Millet Hay



## troyplan (Jan 26, 2011)

I am located in north central Mississippi and am redeveloping a ranch that was neglected for almost 35 years. Pasture and hay development is a slow and expensive process. In the quest for a really high quality hay for my growing herd, I am seriously considering planting twenty acres in Pearl Millet this coming May. My reasons for choosing Pearl Millet are several, but it appears that with any luck with weather, I will get at least two cuttings, maybe three of hay with a protein content of 12 plus.

One problem is that I don't have a mower/conditioner. The info I have says you must cut the hay at least 8 inches high for regrowth. My John Deere cutter won't cut that high. I'm not really that worried about the conditioning side as our summers are so hot and I do have a tedder.

Anyone with experience with Pearl Millet and especially if you have grown it for hay could probably give me a real leg up on the do's and don'ts?


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I have no experience with pearl millet but was curious why you say your JD won't cut 8 inches. Mike


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## banjerdan (Aug 5, 2011)

I planted it last year and was'nt that impressed with it, will never plant it again. Young 300# heifers would'nt eat it and the hay was hard to get to roll, I had to roll it @ 9o am, later in the day it was too slick to start a roll. I'm located in east Texas.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

What kind of JD cutter do you have? I used to use a JD 1209 swather (sickle bar cutter/crimper) and in the transport position, it could easily cut 12" stubble.

The reason you leave roughly 8" of stubble, per info from U. of Georgia Ag dept, is that the stems contain sugars that support vigorous regrowth. Realizing that you will be cutting it at 2-3' to get it in the pre-boot stage and get that protein you are talking about, 8" of stubble is quite high in my book. Surely it will interfere with the baling process but we'll see.

My local Co-op that serves Greenville, TX. and the Sulphur Springs Dairy industry had it in stock. For them to have it in stock speaks for itself.

I decided to plant hay this year after a few years of resting. I am tired of the problems associated with sudan/sorghum and looked all over the www for a substitute. Considering where I am, Pearl Millet seemed to be what I want to plant for hay and grazing after the harvest. Will know more about it this summer, after I have harvested a crop. I have Foxtail Millet as a free agent and cows graze it well, but it isn't suited for hay, at least not my cows and I have taught them to eat weeds.....the young tender ones, not the ones that you could use to sweep out your shop. Grin

HTH,
Mark


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I will admit that I had never heard of Pearl Millet until reading this forum. I am very interested in anything that is shared on the subject here.

I have 17 adjoining acres, part of a 40 we planted in cotton or corn when I was younger. It grew up in pines, had then cut this past fall and am digging stumps.
I am wondering if I should plant that 17 in pearl millet this Spring, then in ryegrass this Fall. If I can use that property then I can save some of my other established pasture for hay.
I eventually want to sprig it in Russell Bermuda.

How expensive is Pearl Millet to plant per acre?


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Not sure what kind of JD mower you have, and I may be missing something, but if the problem is getting a consistent mower level for cutting, you may want to try some hydraulic cylinder depth stops. Usually find in most farm stores or try this site Grip-Rite | Cylinder Depth Stop | Stroke Control for Farm Equipment


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

I don't know how it would work that far south but have you considered siberian millet? It is not a bad hay crop and I have never had trouble finding a cowman to by it or to get my own cattle to eat it.


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## Don Pine (Feb 2, 2012)

Last year was my first experience with PM. And unless something unforeseen happens in the future, it will be my main hay supply for the herd from now on. We suffered quite a drought here (East Central Illinois) last year, and the PM yielded 2 to 3 times what my good grass fields did. And the cattle love it! (And I mean don't get caught between the cows and the feeder when you feed, whether they're hungry or not.)

Do what you must to keep the cut high. I experimented a little and found I could cut it as low as 6 inches, but regrowth was -much- slower than the higher cut. Cutting it lower than 6 killed it.

Keep your eye on it. It's amazing how fast it grows! It'll go from perfect to too tall in a week's time. I wouldn't consider it without a moco. Without one, by the time the stems are dry enough the leaves will be too dry. And that will make it slick and a bear to roll. You will need the tedder.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Tim/South said:


> How expensive is Pearl Millet to plant per acre?


I bought it for 35.50 per 50# and U of Georgia can tell you what works but 10- 20# per acre roughly, for min vs heavy planting preferences. They mention that obviously the heavy planting will cost more per acre for seed but seem to elude to the fact that the increased yield will compensate for it. They talk about 4 tons per acre average yield. Didn't say how many cuttings that was, but did say it was preboot stage. Neat thing is that when you get your hay off you can turn your cows onto it and not worry about prussic acid poisioning the first time you get a frost. Also if you have a not too picky horse digestion wouldn't/shouldn't be a problem like COULD happen with sorghum.

HTH,
Mark


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## troyplan (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks gentlemen,

Lots of info and lots of questions. I have a JD 275 disc mower. Unless I let it ride in the air, I can't get it to adjust to cut higher than maybe 5". Are there some attachments that will let it ride the ground and still get a higher cut.

As for the mower/conditioner, I don't have one. I can probably find a good used one for $6,500-$8,500, which I wouldn't mind if I had some experience to know that this is the route to go. One old rancher around here suggested that I could bush hog the Pearl Millet in lieu of the MOCO; that the bush hog would cut it up enough that it would dry. I guess the temporary solution would be (if I could find one) to rent a MOCO for the first year and see how things went.

As for the other millets, the only experience I have is with brown millet which I tried last year and did OK except I only got one cut. Here in MS, I can see that you could get two crops of brown millet because it will mature to cutting height so fast--about 60 days.

I might plant several varieties and just see what works the best.

Any other comments would certainly be welcome.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The mowing 6 to 8 inches is also what seems to be my drawback.
I was looking and saw where I could buy some adjustable skids that bolt on the ends of the cutter bar. My disc mower is a Krone.
I have and older haybine I might could use. I have never tried to cut high with it. I am not sure how long the pick up cylinder would last with the head not being on the ground.

This is a very informative thread. I am going to plant some somewhere just to try it out.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Don Pine said:


> I wouldn't consider it without a moco. Without one, by the time the stems are dry enough the leaves will be too dry. And that will make it slick and a bear to roll. You will need the tedder.


Don,

You have me worried now. I read the U of G report where they were talking about keeping stubble high for sugars in the stems to support rapid regrowth. In there they also talked about using a moco; said drying time could be reduced....didn't say anything about rolling problems without one. I don't know what the difference in the drying conditions are there and here (Ill vs TX). Being farther south, I assume the sun sits higher in the sky in the summer and that could help drying time. When you said the leaves get dry and too slick to start a roll, that bothers me too. I will have this crop custom rolled after I cut and rake, but when I did it all, I had a hard time getting sorgum x sudan to start rolls using a JD 530 5x6 roller. I could get him out in the early morning, while a little dew is still on it which would help.

Also with the comment from someone else (can't see their name right here) about the drum mower not being able to get high enough that worries me also. I have one ordered and am buying it solely for the purpose of cutting this hay and surely don't want it if it can't cut high. I will call them today and find out and if not, I guess I will kill the order.
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Question: Since you have experience with it and with 8" stubble, how is it to rake and bale that high? What kind of rake do you have, wheel, or parallel bar? I have a wheel ordered with the mower.

Thanks,

Mark


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## Don Pine (Feb 2, 2012)

Mark, I bought a parallel rake last fall just to work the PM. I've always had a wheel rake, but it just doesn't handle the PM. (I borrowed a friend's parallel rake last year.) Now I don't think the stubble height creates as much problem as the sheer volume of material you're trying to handle with PM. I couldn't get an even windrow with the wheel rake.

Working in the stubble didn't cause much problem for me. I even square baled several wagon loads. The stubble is somewhat supple, but I do work the field in the same direction as the PM was drilled.

I'm afraid that without a moco, you'll have the same baling problems you experienced with SS.


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