Swath or Straight Cut

[4GFarms]

I have some oats that are getting ripe for swathing but never desicated them either. Been too busy swathing other crops and did not want to lay it down through the last rains. What are some suggestions that you guys have done? Thinking maybe can go right in and straight cut without spraying it. Worried swathing it now will just shell a bunch. Thoughts appreciated.

[freewheat]

I have always done oats straight. I have never ever sprayed them first.

[4GFarms]

Hey Free, what about the low green areas (weeds more than anything)? How much shelling do you see? Never straight cut oats before and worried about wind shelling them.

[Oliver88]

You can't spray and wait another 10 days?

[freewheat]

Shelling was no issue, but we dont get much wind. I just waited till it was all dead ripe and dry. Havent had oats for a few years now.

[4GFarms]

Oliver88, I could spray them and wait. Just wondering how much shelling if any to expect. Also, I would have to talk to our buyers to see if they are ok with glyphosate applied to the oats. Some buyers will not accept them.

[Oliver88]

4G, going by what you wrote if it's dead ripe and you're worried about wind causing shelling I'd try straight cutting the oats the way it is.

Personally Haven't grown oats for 2 consecutive years now.....when we used to they were Morgan oats which did stand up well for straight cutting but we always did an application of roundup first. We would sometimes combine them last but we are in northeast Sask where it's likely not as windy as southern SK or AB.

[furrowtickler]

If your ground is wet , as I guess it is - I would never swath any cereal unless you can get it for sure in 2 days

[fjlip]

Good answer furrow, need a few day to dare cut some wheat...Quaker and grain Millers say NO preharvest.
Rain on radar AGAIN! Moving east, rained most places in AB today!
Local big farm sprays all oats and straight cuts it all. Looks great again this year.

[4GFarms]

We are in SE sask and we can get a little windy at times. We are ok for ground wetness goes. They just keep having showers in the forecast every other day but we have not got a lot of accumulation out of them. We have a few potholes and marginal areas that will have to be left if they look green or weedy if we straight cut. Have a few days swathing some other crops but will see what they look like then. Just a little worried about them shelling or if the plants break down.

[BreadWinner]

We swath all of ours when its dead ripe, it doesn't shell from swathing. There is a bigger risk of leaving it stand and shelling out in the wind or breaking down. It will combine in two days after swathing.

[Guest]

we swath if ground is dry . a few years back when canola all blew away we had triiactor oats and the wind took 30-40 bu/ac . we knew because we had some swathed for seed and had sprayed the rest . personally I wouldn't swath any grain this year , rains every day or every second day . as far as I know Quaker doesn't care about desiccating .have never said anything here . there is a big risk either way . we have to swath or spray in this country and have lost oats either way . all depends on your ground condition and rain

[furrowtickler]

Agree with case , depends on ground condition and rain .
We have a field for seed wheat , ready to swath but we will not even consider it until the weather straightens out.
Unfortunately it may take a hard frost to straighten weather out
Swathing canola as fast as we can now.
Going to be chilly the next few mornings but I don't see frost yet

[freewheat]

I am biased towards straight combining, of course in our exceptionally wet area. Way more frequent to have rained on, soaking swaths than to have shelling issues standing. Each area will vary on this. I am an anti swather guy.

[hobbyfrmr]

Let them stand. The longer they stand they will gain weight. You will get nice white oats.

When you cut them...its final! If you swath them, there is the risk of rain, and deer feces.

If you let them stand, there is a good chance that any wild oats you have will shell out before you harvest. If you swath, you keep everything and it goes to the bin.

Check with your buyers about pre harvest spraying. You may be limiting your options for buyers.