The McDowell Cooperative Extension Commercial Agriculture Web page for complete information on:

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1 JANUARY 2007 IN THIS ISSUE Page North Carolina Forage Management 2 Losses in Feeding Hay 2 What s Your Hay Worth? 3 Cool Season Perennial Grass for Pasture 4-6 Hay Harvest Costs, Large Round Bales 7-9 Be sure to visit: The McDowell Cooperative Extension Commercial Agriculture Web page for complete information on: Livestock and Grain Market Reports. Agricultural Crops Pest Management Information. Management information on livestock field crops, forages and other agriculture. Soil Sample Reports. Current Newsletters. Other Agricultural Information & Resources. Agricultural weather information. NC Ag Chemical Manual for recommendations on all approved insecticides, herbicides, fungicide, fertilizers and more.

2 North Carolina Forage Management January is an important month for forage management. Even though it is the middle of winter we need to prepare for the upcoming growing season and determine the forages needs for the coming year including stored feeds. Table 1 lists recommended forage management practices for January. Table 1. Recommended forage management practices for January in North Carolina. Fertility Establishment Grazing and harvesting Management Lime may be applied to pastures and hay fields Do not apply any N fertilization during this month Decide which pastures will be reseeded or over seeded Locate source of hybrid Bermuda grass sprigs Limit grazing of stockpiled pastures using strip grazing If pasture is limited feed hay to animals with lower nutritional demands Winter annual pastures can be damaged by trampling during wet periods limit grazing to animal with the highest nutritional demands Determine animal feed requirements for the year (about 5-6 tons of hay equivalent per cow/calf pair) Record winter weed problems so that control measures can be taken during the spring and summer Feed harvest forages as needed Losses in Feeding Hay Feeding stored forages can damage pastures and steps should be taken to minimize damage to pastures and reducing feed wastage. Feeding hay in a dry lot or sacrifice area is often the best option in preventing wide scale damage to pastures. Using a waste management structure to feed hay in or processing hay and feeding in a bunk can also reduce waste. The amount of loss is different for different types of hay feeders. However, not using a hay feeder will usually result in greater losses. A University of Tennessee study comparing feeding hay unprotected and using hay racks found a 16 percentage point increase in hay loss when the hay was feed unprotected. Estimates of losses in common types of hay feeders are: Cone Feeder Hay Waste 4% Ring Feeder Hay Waste 6% Cradle Feeder Hay Waste 15% Wagon hay feeder Hay waste 11% 2

3 The following tables are the newest budgets released from NC State on producing and harvesting grass for hay and grazing. The budgets include all expenses including operating costs (fertilizer, lime etc.) machinery, labor, etc. These figures are fairly accurate for our area. Many of us don't stop to reflect on the total cost of producing feed for our livestock operations. Look through the line items in these budgets and put in the correct estimates for your operation. You may be surprised at the actual costs associated with forage production and harvesting costs for your feed. After reviewing the figures, stockpiling and letting your cattle graze off forages makes more sense all the time!!!! 3

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7 Compiled and edited by: Mario DeLuca Extension Agent Agricultural-Livestock Secretarial support by Cheryl Mitchell 7

8 North Carolina Forage Management 2 Losses in Feeding Hay 2 What s Your Hay Worth? 3 Cool Season Perennial Grass for Pasture 4-6 Hay Harvest Costs, Large Round Bales 7-9 8

9 Compiled and edited by: Mario DeLuca Extension Agent Agricultural-Livestock Secretarial support by Cheryl Mitchell 9