Brush Hogging Question

[Parks 788]

While I've been on our place for over a year and had one season of brush hogging our pasturesI have a question.

Going to mow our pastures this weekend. Last year when I did it I set the brush hog nearly on the ground and went at it. The grass averaged about 18"-24" high. It left a ton of cutting. It didn't bother me much but still looks a bit halfassed. My question is this. The pasture now is every bit of 24" high or taller in a lot of areas. Does it make sense to keep the mower maybe 6-10" off the ground and jsut have to mow it again sooner? THe answer is probably all about personal preference and time alocated to the task but wanted to ask those that have been around this sort of thing much longer than I. What say you.

 

[dennishoddy]

Why not let some rancher come in and do it for free as they want the hay for their cattle?
I have a guy every year that is a neighbor on one of our places, call me and want to know if I want the place cleaned up. He mows, rakes and bales.
If I needed some hay I'm sure he would leave some but I'm out of the cattle business, so he gets it all gladly.

 

[hunter966]

Listen to dennishoddy and you’ll make a happy rancher who might even let ya do some hunting on his places.

If your set on brush hogging drop it to the ground, it’ll look like crap with that much vegetation cut but give it a week after you cut it then cut it again and it will look much better.

Let what you cut the 1st time cure out and it’ll cut better and the 2nd time while still cutting the newer growth at the same time.

 

[Johnny]

Usually the higher you raise it up the harder time it has getting a clean cut. Unless you have some very sharp blades and go slow. Otherwise the grass has too much give that high up and lays over more than it cuts.

But they are all correct in that if it is a big enough spot you could probably get it mowed and baled for nothing or you may even get paid and it will make a nicer pasture.

 

[SoonerP226]

It never hurts to ask, but unless it's a pretty big pasture, you may have a hard time getting anyone to go to the trouble of making hay out of it unless they're already haying right next to you. My brother's neighbor has a few acres that he said my brother could cut and bale, but he couldn't find anyone who would mess with it, including the hay operation two miles due east of his place. (I'd do it, but all my haying equipment is over 100 miles away, and that's a lot of slow traveling for what I guesstimated would make maybe 3-5 round bales.)

 

[retrieverman]

I just mowed one of my pastures at about 6“+/-, and for Bahia grass, that seems to be the sweet spot. It knocks the tips off and encourages new growth. I’ve got cows on the place, so I don’t want to mow it too short.

 

[mtnboomr]

Bush hogs aren't lawn mowers and won't cut like one. They're meant to cut weeds and underbrush along with grass. To get a smooth looking cut you'll have to do it several times, usually in different directions.

 

[dennishoddy]

Bush hogs aren't lawn mowers and won't cut like one. They're meant to cut weeds and underbrush along with grass. To get a smooth looking cut you'll have to do it several times, usually in different directions.

Finish mowers do a pretty good job, but your correct, and brush hog isn't a lawn quality mower.

 

[Parks 788]

Why not let some rancher come in and do it for free as they want the hay for their cattle?
I have a guy every year that is a neighbor on one of our places, call me and want to know if I want the place cleaned up. He mows, rakes and bales.
If I needed some hay I'm sure he would leave some but I'm out of the cattle business, so he gets it all gladly.

Yeah, it's only about 5-6 acres so not sure any rancher would have interest in cutting it even for free. I can put some feelers out, though. Not looking for it to be lawn quality cut but just being anal.

How does one go about knowing if what is growing is quality enough for someone to be interested? Prior owners had a horse, bunch of goats and a few cows on it.

 

[hunter966]

Snap some pics and post them here, we’ll kind of get an idea of what you have growing.

You can grab a couple of handfulls of each variety out there and run it by your local extension office and they can tell you too.

If it’s Native grass it’ll be good for baling or grazing, Love grass not so much unless you fertilize, just too many grasses to list.