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How good of feed do you want? Our place NE of Denver is in CRP, mostly switchgrass, some side oats gramma, some others, but mostly switchgrass, sandy soil, same precipitation (but more like 8-11 inches the last few years). We've been authorized to cut the CRP in drought years and gotten a fair amount of "cow hay" (worth a lot at the times when there isn't anything else...) and had decent regrowth the next year. We also used to cut needle and thread grass for hay growing up, not huge yeilds, but get it before it goes to seed and it's decent feed. Again, that's in sandy soil, I don't think needle and thread likes heavier soils...you might talk to your county extension office, CSU does some good research into low-water crops. Grandpa used to raise alfalfa, he got 3 cuttings a year, but that was before my time, back when Mom was a kid...still got a couple of the tractors with drawbars worn halfway through from pulling rakes all summer long, sent one of the balers for scrap last year, the cast iron teeth cam was worn all the way through...rest of the baler wasn't in as good of shape...
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