July 27, 2007

Can hay from summer annual grasses be dry and high quality?

It is difficult to put up good quality hay - hay that is dry and will not heat or mold - from summer annual grasses like sorghum-sudan hybrids, pearl millet and forage sorghums. Obviously, this type of hay, which is also called cane hay, can be challenging to bale or stack.

Nearly all problems related to making good summer grass or cane hay are caused by the stems. Stems are low in protein and energy, slow to dry, and the lower stems contain most of the nitrates.

To solve some of these problems, cut early, when plants are only waist high and there is less plant volume, stems are smaller and readily eaten and the hay contains more protein and energy. The smaller stems also will help facilitate faster drying.

Regardless of when you harvest, cut it high, leaving 8 to 10 inches of stubble. Tall stubble pays off three ways - it helps plants begin regrowth quicker, it holds hay off the ground so air can help dry underneath, and it keeps many nitrates out in the field stubble rather than in your hay.And finally, always crimp cane hay. Even when stems are small, the waxy coating on the stem slows drying. If you break open these stems by crimping, water can escape and evaporate more quickly.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist