2013 Georgia Grazing School:
Managing forage surplus and deficit
Yield Distribution of Tall Fescue Complemented
with Bermudagrass in Athens, GA
2013 Georgia Grazing School
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Managing forage surplus and
deficit
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Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences
Reasons for surplus forage:
'()" *+," -(." /0." -(1" '2)" '23" /24" 5+0" 678" 9:;" <+7"
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Options
•!
Do nothing, let it stay
!!
!!
Time of Year
•!
Mow to uniform height
Pre-top (prior to grazing)
Post-top (after grazing)
!! Dealing with residual
!!
Rapid Forage Growth
!!
Low Stocking Density
Selective Grazing
Interference with growth?
Lower forage quality
•!
Mow and remove
Hay
Baled silage
!! Nutrient removal
!!
!!
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
2013 Georgia Grazing School:
Managing forage surplus and deficit
Efficiencies of Grazing and
Mechanized Harvest
Method
Efficiency
Continuous Stocking
Slow Rotation (3-4 paddocks)
30-40%
50-60%
Moderate Rotation (6-8 paddocks)
60-70%
Strip Grazing, Daily Rotation
70-80%
Grazing
Mechanical
Hay
30-70%
Silage
60-85%
Green Chop
70-95%
Hay Production
!! Discontinue the use of a tedder when leaf
shatter is occurring. (~10 a.m.)
•! Bale at target moisture
!! < 15% for round bales
!! < 18% for square bales
Drying Times Vary
80
Moisture (%)
•! Cut forage to maximize drying time
•! Cut at appropriate height
•! Allow swath to be spread wide to
maximize drying rate.
•! Ted the forage morning of next day(s)
60
40
Poor Drying
Conditions
Good Drying
Conditions
20
0
Hay Moisture Problems
1
Extension Forage Agronomist
3
Days
4
Hay Moisture Probe
Contacts
Dr. Dennis Hancock
2
5
6
2013 Georgia Grazing School:
Managing forage surplus and deficit
The True Cost of Storage and
Feeding Losses
Determining Moisture
Methods:
3. Hay Moisture Testers/Probes
2. By feel (if calibrated).
1. Microwave moisture test
About 3 billion dollars of hay is lost per year
from storage and feeding in the U.S.
(37.5 million tons)
Storage Losses
70.0%
Can I afford to build a barn?
Bale diameter = 4 ft.
(% of Total Volume)
Weathered Loss
60.0%
5 ft.
50.0%
40.0%
6 ft.
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
2
4
6
8
10
Inches of Weathered Loss
Source: Forage Crop Pocket Guide
Feeding Losses
Other Storage Options
Elevated Stacks
Tarped Stacks
Hay Sheds
Hoop Structures
$1.50
–
2.50
Method
$3.50+
1 day
7 day
---- % Waste----
Unrolled
$2.00 – 3.00
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
Ring
12.3
43.0
4.9
5.4
2013 Georgia Grazing School:
Managing forage surplus and deficit
Feeding Losses
Item
% Waste
Cone
2-5
Ring
4-7
Trailer
10 - 13
Cradle
15 - 20
Baled Silage
Adapted from: Southern Forages (4th ed.) and
Buskirk et al., 2003. J. Anim. Sci. 81:109-115
Baled Silage
Can be more efficient…
Fewer Losses
Accumulate With
Each Step
Advantages:
!!
!!
!!
!!
Minimize harvest loss
Decrease influence of weather
Capture high-quality
Flexible system
Disadvantages:
End Result:
90% of Original DM
Bale at the Right Moisture
70%
40%
Moisture
(Clostridial,
Listeriosis)
Rule of thumb:
bale when the forage is no longer wet
enough to wring juice out of a handful.
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
Potential for ‘operator error’
Cost of materials
Added labor
Keeping vermin out
Feed the Bales w/in 9 Months
•! Bales will squat and be
difficult to handle.
Ideal Range, 50-65% Moisture
Potential for
Spoilage or
Toxicosis
!!
!!
!!
!!
Poor
Fermentation
•! Plastic will deteriorate
over time.
•! Bales will begin to spoil.
2013 Georgia Grazing School:
Managing forage surplus and deficit
Feeding Baled Silage
•! Whole silage bales
!! ring feeder
•! Mixed rations
!! tub-ground
Baled Silage – An Option for
Harvesting High Quality
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Resources
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
Resources
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