Redstart harvesting

oldsmokey

Hi im thinking of setting 6 ac of redstart to supplement winter fodder . Feeding it in the field won,t really work, but ive read it can be harvested and baled, which would be ideal. Anyone got experience of this? Woild welcome any opinions on redstart as a crop..ta

Dakota Dan

I baled and wrapped forage rape years ago, I gave it a wilt but the bales ended up like pancakes and what was in them wasn't great either.

Wildsurfer

I've grazed redstart for a few winters and a super job on dry ground. Have never baled it but hear you would want the right weather at harvest to bale it dry, which gets tricky as you would be into October. Also when baling, if possible take out headlands the day before you cut rest of field as it will go to mush when you will be driving out onto headland to turn back in.

yosemitesam1

A cereal/grass based option would be better for harvesting

CloughCasey1

Wildsurfer wrote: »

I've grazed redstart for a few winters and a super job on dry ground. Have never baled it but hear you would want the right weather at harvest to bale it dry, which gets tricky as you would be into October. Also when baling, if possible take out headlands the day before you cut rest of field as it will go to mush when you will be driving out onto headland to turn back in.

Ive a winterage that i could sow redatart as cattle are in there again now with weather. It is very stony ground but even all the same. Would i need to cultivate much and with burnt grass at the minute could I chance a run of the tine harrow broadcast the seed and roll? Would it grow fast enough to overtake the grass?

oldsmokey

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

A cereal/grass based option would be better for harvesting

Too late in the year now though?

grassroot1

I would imagine the sugars would be too low to preserve it.
Can it be zero grazed maybe mowed and baled fresh each day?

yosemitesam1

oldsmokey wrote: »

Too late in the year now though?

No ideal time for cereals. Seed very cheap if you don't use certified
,

Reggie.

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

No ideal time for cereals. Seed very cheap if you don't use certified
,

Below

oldsmokey

grassroot1 wrote: »

I would imagine the sugars would be too low to preserve it.
Can it be zero grazed maybe mowed and baled fresh each day?

Dont fancy that in january😣😣

Wildsurfer

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Ive a winterage that i could sow redatart as cattle are in there again now with weather. It is very stony ground but even all the same. Would i need to cultivate much and with burnt grass at the minute could I chance a run of the tine harrow broadcast the seed and roll? Would it grow fast enough to overtake the grass?

I've done it this way in the past with success but it would have been sprayed off and the weather was much more favourable ie damp and muggy. I am holding off setting for the time being as the ground is in dust where it's going in. Not sure how late we can leave it though will have to just chance it eventually

oldsmokey

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

No ideal time for cereals. Seed very cheap if you don't use certified
,

Hi thanks...thats an idea...we do all bales, could wholecrop be mowed and baled without grain losses?

Dakota Dan

Wildsurfer wrote: »

I've done it this way in the past with success but it would have been sprayed off and the weather was much more favourable ie damp and muggy. I am holding off setting for the time being as the ground is in dust where it's going in. Not sure how late we can leave it though will have to just chance it eventually

You can sow rape up to August 20th I've often sowed it and got 2 tonne dm/acre

yosemitesam1

oldsmokey wrote: »

Hi thanks...thats an idea...we do all bales, could wholecrop be mowed and baled without grain losses?

Would be mowed while still in grass stage, so treat as normal silage

early_riser

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

A cereal/grass based option would be better for harvesting

Do you mean reseeding or into existing grass?
Have a field i made hay off 3 weeks ago no regrowth to note yet just getting green after the little bit of rain we got, would it work to harrow, mix oat seeds with fert and broadcast then roll?

Also for redstart would spray off field rip it, power harrow and broadcast the seed with the fert work?

yosemitesam1

early_riser wrote: »

Do you mean reseeding or into existing grass?
Have a field i made hay off 3 weeks ago no regrowth to note yet just getting green after the little bit of rain we got, would it work to harrow, mix oat seeds with fert and broadcast then roll?

Also for redstart would spray off field rip it, power harrow and broadcast the seed with the fert work?

Lots of different ways you could work it but probably better to be stitching in cereal seed rather than broadcasting. Redstart/ rape would be hard to spread right with fert

Reggie.

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

Lots of different ways you could work it but probably better to be stitching in cereal seed rather than broadcasting. Redstart/ rape would be hard to spread right with fert

Plus you can't be too accurate with a spreader

Dakota Dan

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

Lots of different ways you could work it but probably better to be stitching in cereal seed rather than broadcasting. Redstart/ rape would be hard to spread right with fert

I always sowed rape seed mixed with fertiliser just spread half first and go at right angle with the second run.

GrasstoMilk

Dakota Dan wrote: »

I always sowed rape seed mixed with fertiliser just spread half first and go at right angle with the second run.

Plenty of forage rape sowed like that for an awful long time. Works perfectly.