The Florida horse population uses approximately 700,000 tons of hay annually of which only one-third is produced in Florida. Most horse hay is produced in northern part of the state. Coastal bermudagrass is the major horse hay produced in Florida with perennial peanut rapidly growing in popularity.

What kind of hay grows in Florida?

Many kinds of grasses and legumes are grown in Florida as hay for livestock. Some of the most popular are coastal Bermuda grass, Argentine bahiagrass, Alicia, perennial peanut and wheat straw.

How many acres do you need to grow hay?

Average yield of hay per acre is 2.44 tons. That means a cow/calf pair needs the production of 2.7 acres planted hay to eat for a year.

Will alfalfa grow in Florida?

Alfalfa can be grown in Florida but should not be grown by a producer who is not willing or able to plant, fertilize, and manage it properly. Alfalfa requires fertile soil with above average water holding capacity, which is well drained both on the surface and internally.

Is it profitable to grow hay?

Brown says using 2019 numbers, it costs about $400 an acre to plant corn on ground that may yield 150 bushels per acre. … “If you are getting $125 per ton for quality hay, you are going to see a profit of $51 per ton, or $204 per acre. “The potential is there to make some pretty good money on hay.”

Is there timothy grass in Florida?

Timothy Genus Details Timothy (Phleum pratense) is a common forage crop and pasture grass in the U.S. It is native to Europe and northern Asia and grows well in cool humid regions of North America. … Fortunately, this grass has not become widely established in urban areas.

What is peanut hay?

Perennial peanut is a high-quality persistent tropical forage legume which can be grazed or fed to horses, dairy and beef cattle, hogs, goats, sheep and rabbits. It can be stored as dry hay or silage and is a substitute for alfalfa.

Can you grow alfalfa in the South?

Alfalfa is not a new crop in the South. It has been grown in the region since the late 1800’s and continues to be recognized as a superb forage species. Nonetheless, to date alfalfa has not attained the status in the South that it has in other parts of the nation.

Can you grow alfalfa in North Florida?

Alfalfa production is an option for North Florida. Alfalfa varieties FL99, FL77, and Bulldog 805 are among the best options, however, only Bulldog 805 is currently commercially available for producers.

Does alfalfa grow in the tropics?

Although alfalfa has for centuries been a staple of forage production in both warm and cold geographical areas that are considered non-tropical, tropical areas have historically not had local production of alfalfa due to the traits and limitations of the currently available varieties.

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How much hay will 100 acres produce?

At 65lbs per bale (which can vary significantly, but whatever), that’s about 77 bales. So for 100 acres that’s about 7700 bales or about 250 tons of dry hay.

Is it cheaper to buy hay or make it?

In most environments where forage production is based on natural rainfall, you can almost always buy hay cheaper than you can produce it. Most farmers and ranchers initially don’t believe this. … When full cost of production is accounted for, hay generally costs between $70 and $140/ton to produce.

How much hay can 15 acres produce?

Probably average 3000 (+/-) 40 pound bales, so 60 tons more or less! That would be a total for all cuttings taken.

Is hay a good cash crop?

Over the last few years many hay acres have been planted to cash grain crops. … Consequently, hay prices are strong and in demand. Some areas have received adequate rainfall and are harvesting yields that will allow excess forage production for sale.

How many bales of hay can you get from an acre?

With an average bale weight of around 40 pounds (with our Abbriata small square baler or any of our mini round balers), that’s 100 bales to the acre for a first cutting.

What kind of grass is used for hay?

Composition. Commonly used plants for hay include mixtures of grasses such as ryegrass (Lolium species), timothy, brome, fescue, Bermuda grass, orchard grass, and other species, depending on region. Hay may also include legumes, such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clovers (red, white and subterranean).

Will deer eat peanut hay?

Yes it will work but it comes with lots of waste in stalk and stems. Sometimes lots of sand also. If the bales have lots of peanuts in it then it is even better.

How much is a bale of hay in Florida?

Custom rates for cutting, raking, and baling will average 1.75 /bale for rectangular bales and $20.00 for large round bales. Feed store merchants indicate that horse owners prefer small rectangular bales, but will buy large round bales of Florakirk bermudagrass, provided the hay is of good quality, mold, and dust free.

Is peanut hay good for cattle?

Residual peanut hay is by far the most widely used peanut by-product fed to beef cattle, and if it is properly harvested with minimal leaf shatter, it is comparable to good-quality grass hays in nutrient content.

How long does timothy hay take to grow?

Timothy grass is generally sown in spring or summer. It takes 50 days to establish for harvesting in most climates.

Will timothy grass reseed itself?

It can reseed itself but not vigorously like fescues. Dont forget to mow it 3.5″ or higher.

Can you eat timothy grass?

More than 400 types of grasses can be eaten worldwide. … Sprouted grass seeds can be a good food source as well. Edible grasses include Bent, Wheat, Slough, Brome, Crab, Switch, Canary, Timothy, Blue, and Bristle grasses. You can make grasses into a juice by grinding them up, but don’t swallow the fiber.

Will alfalfa grow in Georgia?

These new varieties are better adapted to specific soil and climatic regions in Georgia, especially the Coastal Plain region. … The most dramatic increase in alfalfa acreage has been in the Coastal Plain region, where many plantings made on irrigated soils have produced yields ranging from five to eight tons DM per acre.

When should I plant my 805 Bulldog?

Plant in the fall or spring, depending on location. This seed can be planted at a rate of 20 – 25 lbs per acre and at a depth of 1/4 inch. Bulldog 805 prefers a pH of 6.5. Plant in the fall or spring, depending on location.

How many years will alfalfa grow?

Alfalfa can remain productive in stands from four to ten years or more, but as plant population declines renovation eventually becomes necessary.

How hard is it to grow alfalfa hay?

Easily grown and propagated, alfalfa adapts well to nearly any garden, tolerating a wide range of growing conditions. It makes a good drought-resistant plant too, as it doesn’t like wet feet. In fact, too much moisture can lead to mold growth.

When should I plant alfalfa?

In years with adequate rainfall, late summer or fall is typically the best time to establish alfalfa. Yields from late summer seeding are generally higher than yields from spring seeded alfalfa in the establishment year.

Why is it not smart to grow alfalfa in the desert?

Hence, weevils are especially damaging in the high desert because high population levels are present just as the alfalfa is breaking dormancy, and thus can prevent it from growing.

What are the different types of alfalfa?

• AmeriStand 201T. 2-3 cuttings recommended. …
• AmeriStand 435TQ RR. 3-4 cuttings recommended. …
• AmeriStand 318TQ. 3-4 cuttings recommended. …
• AmeriStand 419LH Brand. 3-4 cuttings Recommended. …
• AmeriStand 420LH RR Brand. 3-4 cuttings recommended. …
• AmeriStand 480 HVXRR. …
• AmeriStand 481 HVXRR. …
• AmeriStand 445NT.

Does alfalfa grow in Ghana?

Haroun disclosed that a total of $620 million can be made in one year in the Northern Ghana from the cultivation of Alfalfa grass alone on commercial scale. “Many parts of Northern Ghana are grass lands, meaning we can focus on the cultivation of grass on large scale.

How many times a year can you harvest hay?

In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.