Nowata County OSU Extension

Haying Based on Stage of Plant Growth The nutrient content of a forage crop put up for hay will depend primarily on the stage of growth the plant is in at the time of harvest. The rule of thumb is that immature plants will typically have higher crude protein and energy values than mature plants (a see head is a sign of maturity.) Fescue, a cool season grass, should be harvested for hay in the boot-stage of growth, just prior to seed head emergence. Typically, this stage will ...occur in late April or early May. Bermuda grass has about a 30-day growth cycle. Bermuda greens up in mid to late April but does not really grow until soil temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. My recommendation is to wait until May 1st through May 20th to fertilize bermuda. After fertilizer is applied harvest in 32 to 42 days for a crude protein hay content of 10 percent or higher. The longer the harvest date is from initial growth hay protein content will decrease. Tuff grass should be planted in warm soil temperatures. Early to mid-May is ideal for NE Oklahoma. As seeds develop on the tuft plant protein and energy values drop dramatically. Sudow, sudow-sorghum, millets, and johnson grass will make excellent hay if harvested in the boot stage of growth. Sorghum, sudow and millets are warm season plants. Plant these in mid-May or later. Apply no more than 110 lbs. of urea per acre. Prior to harvest test sorghum, sudow and millet plants for high nitrate levels. If primary test indicates high nitrate levels wait 5 or 6 sunny days. Usually nitrate will level out and plants can be harvested without high nitrate levels. Sudow, millet, and sorghum hays should have a lab test made for nitrate before feeding to help prevent nitrate poisoning of livestock. Small grain crops (wheat, oats, barley, and rye) should be harvested for hay from the boot stage of growth to as late as when the seed kernels on the plant or in the soft dough stage of growth. Haying is and expensive process. It cost the same to bale a forage high in nutrients as it does to bale a mature forage low in nutrient content. When possible harvest forage for optimum quality and quantity. See more

Here is the info for the upcoming Poultry tester class! The dates for the class being held in Tulsa is listed at the bottom of the flyer!