When to cut peas for hay?

[TelesnaAg]

Howdy, i have a spring crop sown with 50% barley, 25% oats 25% field peas. Intended as a hay crop.

Bit over 3 weeks into its life we had an unseasonal 43 degree day, which focked alot of stuff.

Anyway, the barley variety i used is crap, gone to head at 1 foot tall, the oats the same, we have not fiumd a spring oat option yet. Normally use Westminster or planet for barley and it grows waist high no dramas.

So crop is about 12 to 18" tall, barley out in head some in boot, oats just coming out. Peas not at flowering stage.

I need bulk!! So given the peas are later, can i cut for hay when pods are on? Or is this PIA to dry? If i cut at flowering its a bit of a ballz up, maybe pay to graze off, another PIA.

Any advice welcomed. Most stuff online is oat mix and they cut when oats ready not mention of peas or peas at flowering...

I will have great drying weather when they do get cut.

Will get better pics tomorrow

Ant...

 

[Flat 10]

Howdy, i have a spring crop sown with 50% barley, 25% oats 25% field peas. Intended as a hay crop.

Bit over 3 weeks into its life we had an unseasonal 43 degree day, which focked alot of stuff.

Anyway, the barley variety i used is crap, gone to head at 1 foot tall, the oats the same, we have not fiumd a spring oat option yet. Normally use Westminster or planet for barley and it grows waist high no dramas.

So crop is about 12 to 18" tall, barley out in head some in boot, oats just coming out. Peas not at flowering stage.

I need bulk!! So given the peas are later, can i cut for hay when pods are on? Or is this PIA to dry? If i cut at flowering its a bit of a ballz up, maybe pay to graze off, another PIA.

Any advice welcomed. Most stuff online is oat mix and they cut when oats ready not mention of peas or peas at flowering...

I will have great drying weather when they do get cut.

Will get better pics tomorrow

Ant...

It would only be ensiled in our climate. Be wary of grain and therefore rodents in your hay heap. Or do you not have rats? I think the barley will therefore dictate how late you leave it

 

[TelesnaAg]

It would only be ensiled in our climate. Be wary of grain and therefore rodents in your hay heap. Or do you not have rats? I think the barley will therefore dictate how late you leave it

No rats here.

Cheers

 

[JD-Kid]

think if for hay. the peas will be just in flower given the other stuff is already coming in to head will have good feed value in the grains and. fibre in the straw the. pea leaf. should be. good feed value
left too long the. grains might start falling out and pea leaf starting to drop off lowering. the overall feed value

 

[TelesnaAg]

I think its rooted, sheep tucker, i assume i should let it all dry a bit before putting lambs on? Got some decent clover in spots, oats starting to pop up above barley in places.

A ballz up!!

Ant...

 

[Bury the Trash]

Oats dont dong go to well with it for dry harvesting as they take longer to ripen.
Westminster iirc wasn't particularly early either.
Get a earliest ripening barley, leave till ripe, then cut, difficult to ted without losing grain/ears no doubt, butit will dry quick, pea haulm is not to bad to dry when its mature, just dong rush it.swather and or a swath Turner to turn over gently would be ideal I should think.
As for rodents , just use you're normal rodent policy, it's not like there is plastic wrap to puncture or sheet to get in under as in when it is ensiled, now that really is wasteful ..

 

[JD-Kid]

I think its rooted, sheep tucker, i assume i should let it all dry a bit before putting lambs on? Got some decent clover in spots, oats starting to pop up above barley in places.

A ballz up!!

Ant...

if yer were going to put. lambs on it better green and leafy than too far gone
would of thought. quite a demand for hay. with the dry etc would it not be worth a few bucks even as. rougher cattle hay ??

 

[Bury the Trash]

I forgot, round bale preferably with net to save risking the chewed by rodents 'string problem '

 

[TelesnaAg]

Pics

if yer were going to put. lambs on it better green and leafy than too far gone
would of thought. quite a demand for hay. with the dry etc would it not be worth a few bucks even as. rougher cattle hay ??

Not sure if there be more than 2 tonne ha there, so if paying for mower rake and bale...think lambs might be better option?

Its 2 inches to short for hay and 2 inches to tall for sheep lol!!

Ant....

 

[TelesnaAg]

Not sure if this well help any...maybe clover and oats.

Ant...

 

[JD-Kid]

Not sure if this well help any...maybe clover and oats.

Ant...

hopefully you guys get some rains there to help with the fires
if you dry out fast in the summer. annual clovers and oats etc might be a better bet and try and get it off before it starts drying out too much

 

[TelesnaAg]

hopefully you guys get some rains there to help with the fires
if you dry out fast in the summer. annual clovers and oats etc might be a better bet and try and get it off before it starts drying out too much

The oat variety i have is crap, struggling to find a true spring oat option here.

Normally i use Westminster barley snd grows 3 feet tall. This new spartacus is rubbish.

The peas are gunya, they stand up well, trial site at my house they are text book.

See how it responds to rain, might cut half for hay maybe.

Ant....