Brome hay for cattle has many advantages over orchardgrass hay, and can benefit your animals in many ways. Brome hay is available in many forms. It is best to choose one that is suitable for your needs, such as early-season brome hay or Smooth brome seedings. It is important to buy your hay from the same supplier every year, as this will ensure consistency of quality and digestive system efficiency.
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Untelescoping brome hay
Untelescoping brome hay for livestock is one of the best-known hays. Its relative feed value is high, while its palatable taste and high digestibility make it a desirable base for any feed program. It is also highly nutritious, and many people choose brome hay as their first choice. Here are some tips for feeding brome to cattle. The first thing to know about brome hay for cattle is how to harvest it.
The NDF content of brome hay varies depending on its maturity. Early heading brome hay contains five percent less NDF than late headed brome hay. This means that an increase in brome hay fiber content can result in significant reductions in intake. Therefore, brome hay for cattle harvested late in the growth cycle has the highest NDF content. It is recommended for cattle that have low-protein diets.
Smooth brome seedings
To make the most of your planting, start by performing soil testing to determine the level of phosphorus and potassium required for growing smooth brome. Phosphorus and potassium are needed to establish a vigorous brome stand. Nitrogen is not directly applied to the seed, but should be broadcast before planting to ensure a uniform, healthy stand. Depending on the species, you may need more than one type of fertilizer.
In eastern Kansas, early fall plantings of smooth brome are most desirable, but late summer or fall seedings are the best choice. The grass is a good choice for cattle pastures, as it is known to last for more than 20 years. On droughty claypan soils, winter plantings are not recommended. This plant does not survive a hot, dry summer. Planting in late summer or fall will give the soil adequate time to dry and store moisture.
Early-season brome hay
When seed heads are just about to appear, it’s time to harvest the first crop of early-season brome hay for cattle. The smooth growth is palatable and nutritious for livestock. Smooth brome comes in two identifiable types, northern and southern. Smooth brome is native to western Canada and the southern Corn Belt States. It’s highly compatible with alfalfa and a high protein grass that is low in crude fiber.
Lincoln is a southern strain of Smooth Brome, and it provides early spring pasturage and fall regrowth. It’s also highly tolerant to climate, is relatively easy to establish, and responds well to good fertility. Manchar is an intermediate strain between southern and northern Smooth Bromes. It’s a mild sod-forming grass that grows erect. It has six to eight-inch seed heads and strong roots that anchor soil erosion.
Orchardgrass hay
Orchardgrass is a good source of forage for cattle, horses, and small ruminants. It is not drought tolerant like fescue, but is highly marketable for cattle hay because of its high nutrient value. It can last five to six years before interseeding, and is very disease resistant. Listed below are some of its benefits:
Orchardgrass is native to the Appalachian Mountains and is well adapted to areas of high rainfall and irrigated areas in the West. Application rates are 50 lbs. per acre. During planting, the pH of the soil should be between 6.0 and 7.0. It should be seeded in late fall or early spring to minimize drought and hot summer conditions. In addition, broadcast seeding may be used to establish orchardgrass. However, when establishing orchardgrass, make sure to double the seeding rate for critical areas and range treatments. Similarly, mix orchardgrass seeds according to soil pH.
A study by Purdue University found that cows on orchardgrass gained about 1/2 lb more per day than on tall fescue. In some tests, animals were identical, but orchardgrass was more desirable during spring and summer, while tall fescue had the advantage during fall and winter. Tall fescue is also associated with endophyte, an infective parasite that infects the cow’s digestive system.
