Hay harvest has been challenging for hay producers this year due to the abundance of sporadic rain events and cloudy weather.

This is typical of the May and early June haying season according to Tim Schnakenberg, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

The majority of grass hay produced in Missouri is fescue which matures in early to mid- June. As a result the best time to harvest this crop is mid-May through the beginning of June.

“Unfortunately, this time-frame usually corresponds with the highest precipitation events recording for the year. Springfield-based weather data shows that on the average there is about a 30 percent chance of finding two open haying days in succession in May,” said Schnakenberg.

Rain-saturated hay is lower in quality and value and can be discouraging when producers have invested a great expense in land, labor, equipment and fertilizer.

“Hay producers have other options besides fescue that can improve the odds of harvesting an abundant supply of quality hay,” said Schnakenberg.

The use of warm season grasses in a hay harvesting program is one of the best options.

“Warm season grasses may be ready to harvest 20 to 40 days later than cool season grasses like fescue, bypassing many of the typical rain events in the spring. They are also more likely to provide sufficient regrowth for a higher-yielding second cutting in a dryer season,” said Schnakenberg.

Some of the warm season grasses that work well for hay include bermudagrass along with native warm season grasses such as switchgrass, big bluestem and indiangrass.

“These forages are heavy producers of high quality dry matter if harvested at the proper time. In many cases they can yield better than fescue if managed properly,” said Schnakenberg.

Another benefit according to Schnakenberg is their absence of the toxic endophyte that plagues Kentucky 31 fescue as a feed source.

“The endophyte is a detriment to cattle grazing during the warm spring and summer periods. Although its effect is lessened somewhat when harvested as hay, it is still present in first-year Kentucky 31 fescue supplies and can extend the endophyte toxicity to a cow herd throughout the winter months,” said Schnakenberg.

There are challenges with any type of forage that is grown. Bermudagrass is a heavy fertilizer user which makes it challenging to maintain and produce higher tonnages of this hay source with the increased cost of fertilizer. Schnakenberg also points out that native grasses use less fertilizer but can be difficult to establish and seed supply is currently in short supply.

To learn more about native warm season grasses, producers will not want to miss the 2008 “Warm-Season Grass Field Day” that begins at 9 a.m., Wednesday, July 2 near Sparta, Mo.

Registration prior to June 25 is requested. For more information, contact the Christian County Soil and Water Conservation District at 417-581-2718 ext. 3 or toll-free 800-581-6444 or Dr. Gordon Carriker at the Christian County University of Missouri Extension, 417-581-3558.