I'd appreciate your thoughts and suggestions on the following.
Background - I'm about to start a rotational grazing cattle operation on about 15 acres (big time, huh?). When I had that pasture limed, fertilized, and overseeded with fescue and clover last fall, I had the same operations done to about 5 acres around the house.
The pasture's coming along well; I got 32 5' bales from it this spring, the baling being done by a commercial operation.
My observation - The best pasture on the property is the 5 acres around the house, most likely because I cut it regularly with my bush hog, more or less like a lawn. It hurts my frugal soul to see this top quality forage used for nothing more than green fertilizer.
My questions:
1. Is it economically feasible for me to buy hay equipment for just the five acres? (I'm thinking the 15 acres won't be hayed again because of grazing needs.) I'm a fat old man and don't want to handle square bales unless that's the only reasonable way, so a round bale solution would be favored.
2. If this could be cost justified, what equipment would you recommend? I have a JD 5310, so it should be sufficient in terms of hp and weight.
3. Would it work to cut the 5 acres more frequently that a pasture is cut, and still produce hay? Problem is that I don't want the "lawn" to look too much like an overgrown pasture. Putting this question differently, is there a minimal height required before cutting for hay?
Before you ask, Mama says smelly cows bringing flies can't graze in her front yard.
From what you've said haying isn't really viable in my opinion. I'd make the yard an acre and put the rest in your rotational program.
If you're "a fat old man that doesn't want to handle square bales" you're probably not going to want to hay with a piece of junk baler. Also haying without a cab is awful dusty and dirty. A good used round baler that you're not going to have to work on all the time is going to run you anywhere from 7-11k for that tractor. You'd probably want a 4x5 or 4x4 baler. Then you're going to have to have something to cut it with. Either a sickle mower or a small mower conditioner. More bucks and a rake. A good one is going to be $1000-1500. That's some serious cash to lay down for five acres.
You are going to have to let it get pretty high to even think about making it work. At least 12" or better. Any shorter than that and it's not even worth haying.
In your rotational grazing I wouldn't worry much about the flys. On 15 acres you're only going to be able to run 10-13 head. What are you planning to do for winter hay? Or are you just going to buy feeders in the spring?
I think, but don't know, that I'll enjoy grazing a few head. I have a friend with a registered Hereford herd who lives about 8 miles away. I'm going to graze 5-6 of his cows on my pasture starting in a month or so. I'll have the day to day responsibility under his supervision. If I like doing this, I'll likely buy my own stock later this year or next.
As for winter hay, I've got this spring's crop in the barn. At the 5-6 level, I could probably grow most of what I'd need. At higher stocking levels, I'd need to buy hay.
I'm not surprised at the answer that the price for the equipment doesn't make sense given cutting only 5 acres or so. For that matter, it doesn't make much more sense cutting all 20 acres. (I paid $17/bale for 5x5 round bales that were cut last month.)
Are used square balers significantly cheaper? I might cut and bale and get my bride to be the hay hand.
I haven't decided on whether I'll just run feeders or do cow-calf. I like the idea of the latter, but I understand there's a lot more involved.
As for the dust, having grown up in West Texas and having spent six years in Saudi Arabia, for me the dustiest day in middle Tennessee can't compare.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Cowboydoc has given you good advice. Even for 20 acres, I don't think you'd ever have enough hay to pay for the equipment and its maintenance and operation costs, much less your labor.
At today equipment prices it's hard to justify at 200 acres. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
Especially with the weather here this year. I just finished this evening with my first cutting and still have 250 bales left to put into place. Counter said 642. The dust mixed with sweat turns to mud and clogs the old sinuses. bad part is the field where I began is in need of cutting but I think I will take a break and try to get a house under roof.
With 4x4 bales it will take around 10 per cow on average to get them through the winter here which is probably similar to Tenn in climate. Of course it depends on when you have to start feeding and the type of winter. I would probably fertilize the 5 acres and stock pile the fescue for some late fall, early winter grazing. On the 5310, it would handle my little baler ok if you decide to go that route.
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