The abundance of rain this spring and summer has helped hay production, but hurt the harvesting process.
Overton County Ag Extension Agent Jason Garrett said the rain delayed the spring crop harvest. Garrett said cool season grasses are better when harvested earlier because of their nutrients.
“Everybody was behind,” Garrett said. “Which affected the quality of the hay. We have an abundance, but a lot of the quality on the late harvested hay, such as late June and around the first of July, is going to be lower.”
Garrett said the quality drops off because of the changing role of nutrients. In the spring, Garrett said the nutrients are focused on growing the crop, whereas later on in the summer, the focus shifts to reproduction.”
“That’s when it’s making the stem with the seed head on it,” Garrett said. “When that happens, the quality is going down in the hay because it’s focusing all of its stored energy and nutrients on producing that stem with the seed head on it.”
Over the last few years, drought has been an issue for hay producers. Garrett said the positive of the rain is that overall, the region is now in good shape in terms of water. Garrett said specifically in Overton County, the spotty weather patterns have left some areas better off than others.
As producers shift their focus to the fall harvest, they will be cutting the warm season annual plants like crab grass and Dallas grass. These are mixed with some of the old plants for the spring. Garrett said the abundance of hay from the spring has put some farmers in a position where they will not need to cut hay this fall.
Garrett said the hay is important for the Upper Cumberland because of all the beef cattle that needs to be fed. Garrett said there needs to be enough crop to last through the winter. Garrett said a mature beef cow can consume about 30 pounds of hay a day.
Also, with the hay, we have a lot of small ruminant producers here, goats and sheep feeding hay,” Garrett said. “A lot of those are in tight spots. They’re kind of fed year round with mixed pasture.”
Garrett said area horse owners also need hay, particularly orchard grass, to keep their animals fed.
Hay producers will begin their fall harvest in late August and early September.