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alfalfa
#9043087
05/05/24 02:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128
jgconst
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128 |
I bought 2 ASF hay feeders. I put 2 bales of alfalfa from Colorado in each. They have only nibbled a little on them in one month. Alfalfa has turned tan or brown. I put them in feed stations with protein, corn , and cottonseed. You can't say they haven't found them. I'm in Kinney county and have axis and whitetail. Any idea why they aren't eating it? Do I need to spread it out on the ground and buy alfalfa from a different source ?
Verde
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043102
05/05/24 02:38 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 62,791
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 62,791 |
Wait until native burns up then put alfalfa out. it’s way to green in the pasture, nothing that will out compete native forbs
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, b/c they know not victory nor defeat"- #26 TR
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043225
05/05/24 07:30 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128
jgconst
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128 |
We just got our first decent rain last Sunday. 2 inches. Before that the only thing that was green is mesquite.
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043234
05/05/24 07:49 PM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 27,691
Creekrunner
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 27,691 |
I saw a decent axis buck checking out a corn feeder on trail cam Feb. 1st. I ran alfalfa bales out the next day and put them in the old cattle hay feeder and improvised a rain cover with two old liquid cattle lick tubs strapped on top. I was proud of myself. 'Course, no more axis pics (they just occasionally wander through) and the whitetail haven't done much with it to this day. If I stick a fork in it there's still green hay in the middle.
They're not emptying the protein either, of which I'll have to unclog after this weekend.
...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043285
05/05/24 10:24 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128
jgconst
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 128 |
They have been hitting the protein fairly hard since we haven't really had a decent rain until last Sunday. We put out 10 tons on February 1st and just refilled again last Tuesday. So it took them 3 months to go thru it. The rain we had put some water in the tanks and creek bottoms. I'm hoping it was enough to green up the place so they will lay off the protein. Cameras are showing the herd to be in really good health so the feed program is working. Plus we are fortunate to have water wells keeping the water troughs full. Another big rain would be great.
Verde
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043443
05/06/24 03:44 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 406
eyedoc
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 406 |
Mule deer in Gaines/Andrews will hammer alfalfa (stems and all) in Dec/Jan/Feb but not much the rest of the year, have only had whitetails nibble some leaves off the hay in really cold weather, but they usually have some green wheat nearby
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Re: alfalfa
[Re: jgconst]
#9043719
05/06/24 05:04 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 62,791
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 62,791 |
We just got our first decent rain last Sunday. 2 inches. Before that the only thing that was green is mesquite. More Forbes then you realize out. just that time of year
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, b/c they know not victory nor defeat"- #26 TR
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