Grass and legumes grew rapidly this week gaining an average of 6 inches (2 – 13 inches) but as expected fiber content, fiber digestibility and TDN only changed slightly. NDF this week averaged 47.8% for grass, 38.8% for mixed stands, and 30.8% for alfalfa; going forward we would expect NDF to increase by ¾ to 1% per day. We predict that grasses (at least the most advanced fields) will reach the dairy quality target NDF of 50% NDF next week. Mixed stands with less than 50% legume will be ready in a similar time, higher legume content mixed stand will be a few days later, pure legume stands are probably 2 weeks till they reach target NDF. See the chart below for results from each sample location.
| Beef | |||||
| Dairy | Growing Calf | Growing Yearling | Lactating Cow | Mature Dry Cow | |
| Grass | 7 days | 7 days | 7 -14 days | 14+ days | 14+ days |
| Mixed | 7 -10 days | 7 -10 days | 7 -14 days | 14+ days | 14+ days |
| Legume | 10+ days | 10+ days | 10-14 days | 14+ days | 14+ days |
Harvest Thoughts
• Cutting Height: We recommend a 4-inch mowing height for all hay crops, especially grasses. Grass energy reserves are stored in the base of the plant, removing too much will delay regrowth and reduce season yield.
• Dry Matter Matters: Wet silage promotes improper fermentation and can turn great forage into something that is hard to feed. Do your best to get baleage at 40% DM (at least 35%).
• Silage in a Day?: Drying rates will likely be a challenge this spring. Consider wide swathing, and even tedding, to maximize drying rate and to squeeze in a few extra acres between showers.
• Mud is not Forage: Wet fields are problematic this spring. Pay close attention to adjustment of rakes and pickup heads to avoid mixing soil into forage. Soil contamination can cause bad fermentation, especially with wetter silages.
You can view a pdf of todays report here.
Looks like it’s time for the mowers to start moving, stay safe and enjoy the hay harvest season.
Our next sample day will be Tuesday May 14.
| Delaware County Scissor Cuts Results | April 30 | May 7 | |||||||||
| Farm | Town | Elev | Species | Ht | aNDFom | NDFD | TDN | Ht | aNDFom | NDFD | TDN |
| Eisele | Andes | 1412 | RClov(35%)/orch | 5 | na | na | na | 11 | 46.9 | 70 | 71 |
| Darling | Andes | 1560 | RedClov(60%)/TFesc | 7 | 44.2 | 64 | 70 | 13/20 | 32.3 | 47 | 70 |
| Darling | Andes | 1580 | Mixed Grasses | 7 | na | na | na | 12 | |||
| Gladstone | Andes | 1960 | Orch/Bome | 12 | 44.1 | 69 | 69 | 18 | 49.4 | 73 | 73 |
| Evans | Andes | 2065 | Orchardgrass | 13 | 44.3 | 74 | 70 | 16 | 50.8 | 72 | 75 |
| Brannen | Bovina | 1840 | Mixed Grasses | 8 | 46.8 | 77 | 69 | 9 | 46.0 | 69 | 70 |
| Mattson | Colchester | 1080 | Alf(50%)/Tfesc | na | na | na | na | 15/17 | 31.3 | 50 | 72 |
| Grant | Davenport | 1285 | Alf(70%)/Grass | na | na | na | na | 13/14 | 31.1 | 55 | 70 |
| Mushkoday | Delhi | 1340 | Alf(50%)/Tfesc | 7/12 | 46.9 | 71 | 67 | 15/20 | 29.0 | 56 | 72 |
| Frisbee | Delhi | 1380 | Mixed Grasses | 20 | 52.9 | 67 | 67 | 14 | 49.2 | 68 | 69 |
| Rama | Delhi | 1400 | Mixed Grasses | 16 | 49.4 | 74 | 67 | 23 | 48.6 | 71 | 68 |
| Sullivan | Delhi | 1425 | Orchardgrass | 21 | 49.9 | 76 | 68 | 24 | 49.6 | 70 | 71 |
| Sherwood | Delhi | 1610 | Clov(20%)/grass | 3/11 | 45.4 | 73 | 68 | 8/18 | 47.8 | 64 | 70 |
| Buel | Franklin | 1260 | Orchardgrass | 18 | 42.9 | 79 | 71 | 27 | 49.6 | 66 | 71 |
| Grant | Franklin | 1650 | Mixed Grasses | 14 | 38.9 | 73 | 76 | 20 | 44.3 | 66 | 78 |
| Taggart | Franklin | 1720 | Mixed Grasses | 15 | 47.8 | 70 | 67 | 20 | 54.6 | 60 | 69 |
| DiBenedetto | Halcott | 1730 | Orchardgrass | 12 | 46.4 | 78 | 69 | 19 | 46.1 | 73 | 71 |
| Scobie | Hamden | 1480 | Mixed Grasses | 8 | Na | na | na | 12 | 42.2 | 67 | 73 |
| Potter | Hamden | 2100 | Orchardgrass | 11 | 45.9 | 69 | 70 | 20 | 43.6 | 65 | 72 |
| Hillriegel | Hardenburgh | 1670 | Mixed Grasses | 9 | 44.6 | 69 | 70 | 15 | 47.5 | 71 | 68 |
| Haynes | Kortright | 1865 | Orchardgrass | 13 | 49.9 | 72 | 67 | 16 | 50.9 | 68 | 74 |
| Hager | Kortright | 2000 | Mixed Grasses | 11 | 40.4 | 82 | 76 | 16 | 42.0 | 77 | 74 |
| Scott | Masonville | 1615 | Reed Canarygrass | 16 | 46.1 | 70 | 68 | 20 | 48.0 | 65 | 68 |
| Scott | Masonville | 1650 | Clov(30%)/Fesc | 4/11 | 51.1 | 71 | 65 | 6/17 | 50.2 | 69 | 67 |
| Keator | Meredith | 1600 | Tall Fescue | 12 | 46.7 | 72 | 68 | 16 | 44.8 | 72 | 70 |
| DeDominicis | Meredith | 2050 | Tall Fescue | 10 | 43.4 | 75 | 72 | 14 | 43.1 | 71 | 72 |
| Cieri | Meredith | 2300 | Orchardgrass | 12 | 41.5 | 71 | 74 | 18 | 46.4 | 75 | 70 |
| Gray | Middletown | 2020 | Reed Canarygrass | 15 | 51.3 | 74 | 64 | 20 | 46.9 | 67 | 68 |
| Elliott | Middletown | 2060 | RCanary/Orch | na | na | na | na | 20 | 51.3 | 71 | 72 |
| Coombe | Neversink | 1420 | Mixed Grasses | 7 | 46.3 | 73 | 70 | 9 | 46.1 | 84 | 70 |
| Perry | Roxbury | 1830 | Mixed Grasses | 12 | 52.6 | 71 | 62 | 14 | 48.3 | 73 | 67 |
| Gockel | Roxbury | 1890 | orchardgrass | 9 | 45.3 | 71 | 71 | 14 | 51.4 | 69 | 69 |
| Albano | Roxbury | 1950 | Mixed Grasses | 8 | na | na | na | 10 | 42.5 | 73 | 74 |
| Kuhn | Roxbury | 1980 | Meadow Foxtail | 10 | 46.7 | 69 | 70 | 21 | 48.2 | 65 | 69 |
| Johnson | Sidney | 1070 | Orchardgrass | 17 | 44.8 | 71 | 73 | 22 | 48.0 | 69 | 71 |
| Johnson | Sidney | 1030 | Alfalfa | na | na | na | na | 16 | 32.1 | 54 | 70 |
| Hanselman | Stamford | 1488 | Alfalfa | na | na | na | na | 15 | 29.5 | 62 | 71 |
| Deysenroth | Stamford | 1495 | Mixed Grasses | 13 | 41.9 | 73 | 77 | 18 | 45.3 | 76 | 70 |
| Martin | Stamford | 1560 | Alf(35%)/Orch | 8/14 | 35.9 | 73 | 73 | 12/22 | 39.6 | 71 | 70 |
| Trovato | Stamford | 2200 | Clov(25%)/Grass | 12 | 46.4 | 72 | 72 | 8/18 | 49.1 | 73 | 67 |
| Melvin | Stamford | 2020 | Orchardgrass | 11 | 52.6 | 74 | 68 | 17 | 48.3 | 69 | 70 |
| LaTourette | Tompkins | 1220 | Mixed Grasses | 14 | 48.6 | 70 | 70 | 19 | 53.9 | 67 | 65 |
| Walley | Tompkins | 1230 | Mixed Grasses | 17 | 47.3 | 76 | 67 | 24 | 52.3 | 69 | 72 |
| Wickham | Walton | 1240 | Orchardgrass | 17 | 47.1 | 76 | 68 | 24 | 51.1 | 70 | 72 |
| Av Grass | 12.1 | 46.3 | 73.0 | 69.6 | 17.8 | 47.8 | 70.0 | 70.8 | |||
| Av Mixed | – | 45.0 | 70.7 | 69.2 | – | 38.8 | 60.6 | 69.8 | |||
| Av Legume | 5.8 | – | – | – | 12.1 | 30.8 | 58.0 | 70.5 | |||
