Grazing/Baleing Rye

[lorne]

I am wondering if anyone has experience in grasing and baling rye.
I am considering seeding fall rye in the spring to graze and use for hay. What can I expect for production when baling and what food values? What is your experience and suggestions?

[dfarms11]

hi, its been a while, but heres what I know. DO NOT intend to cut and bale it, unless you know that you will get a full week of no rain and great drying weather. Silaging on the other hand would work just fine. Rye just does not cure. As for grazing it works fine. Its a little more expensive, but it works.

[lorne]

Hi dfarms11, Thanks for the reply, sorry about the long pause in reading this but we took a much needed holiday with the family. If rye does not cure what would you suggest to seed?

[dfarms11]

no problem. As far as for pasure, seed rye. It does do a great temp pasture, just make sure you keep the heads grazed off during the second year, it really grows and matures quickly. If you want something to bale, I would suggest oats and or barley myself. After you cut oatsfor greenfeed, cut it just after heading, and you will get a regrowth also.

[cowman]

About 15 years ago my father seeded some fall rye on some land he had broken the fall before. As I remember it he seeded it in late june and fertilized fairly heavy with N. He had underseeded a pasture mix. I remember we turned some cow/calf pairs into it in the fall and you could just see those calves put on the pounds! The next year it came back really strong and he baled it up for greenfeed just after it had headed. The yield was excellent and I can't remember it being very hard to dry. The grass was fairly well established although there was a problem with dandelions the next year.