Take steps to maximize available hay in cattle operations

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – Cattle producers are only halfway through the hay feeding season, so it’s a good time to double-check they’re not wasting that precious resource, said experts with Oklahoma State University’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences.  “Management of input costs can mean the difference between operational profit or loss,” said David Lalman, OSU Extension beef cattle specialist and holder of the university’s Harrington Endowed Chair in Animal Science. “Costs…

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Hay Quality: Beyond Proximate Analyses

Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS, Associate Extension Professor My forage colleagues and I seem to get bombarded with questions on forage quality and interpreting forage test results this time of year. The timing coincides with folks starting to feed hay and looking at developing supplementation programs for the cattle receiving the forage. Getting the forage tested for nutrient content is the first step. Proximate analysis allows for separating a forage/feed into various macronutrient categories…

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Without forage test, hay by any other name is just hay

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mature hay is hay. It may be brome hay, prairie hay or any other type of hay. But in the end, it’s just hay until it’s been tested. Forage tests tell the tale of whether hay is of good quality and nutrient-rich, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz. Nutrient content of hay, haylage or silage directly relates to its stage of maturity at harvest. As plants mature,…

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Do You Know the Difference Between 9% and 7% Crude Protein Hay?

Hannah Greenwell, Nebraska Extension Educator What is the crude protein content of your hay? Photo credit Troy Walz. Listen to a discussion of the content in this article on this episode of the BeefWatch podcast. You can subscribe to new episodes in iTunes or paste http://feeds.feedburner.com/unlbeefwatch into your podcast app. When feeding harvested forages to the cow herd, you need to know what you have in order to know what to feed. This is vital when faced with…

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Knowing What You Are Feeding: HAY SAMPLING 101

Chris Teutsch, Associate Extension Professor, Forage Specialist, University of Kentucky Knowing the nutritional quality of forage and hay is an integral part of a profitable and efficient livestock operation. Accurate estimation of forage quality starts with obtaining a representative sample of the forage to be fed. Proper sampling technique is critical. Hay is preserved in a number of different packages ranging from the small square bale weighing 40-50 lb to the large square…

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Hay: Weigh, Test and Sample Before You Buy

Hay: Weigh, Test and Sample Before You Buy Three hay-buying tips. by Linda Geist, University of Missouri Extension Weigh, test and sample hay before buying or selling, says University of Missouri (MU) Extension Livestock Specialist Eldon Cole. Beef producers rely on good-quality hay to boost profits. “Unfortunately, our hay production is not always the greatest quality,” Cole says. “The category we excel in is ‘other grass hay’ — specifically, cool-season grass or mostly…

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Keep it Tight; Store Hay Right

Brad Schick, Nebraska Extension Educator Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator No matter the type of forage, a tight, well-made bale is the best way to reduce the risk of storage loss. Photo credit Troy Walz. Setting the Stage  Even before storing, producers can give hay a better chance to make it from the field to the cow with as little loss as possible. Baling at correct moisture levels will lead to proper curing…

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Forage Testing Can Save Dollars

Steve Niemeyer, Nebraska Extension Educator Sampling and testing forages for quality can make designing a feeding program easy and economical. Photo credit Troy Walz. As cow-calf producers strive to reduce feed costs by finding different avenues to increase grazing days, many still have to use harvested forages in their year-round feeding program.  Sampling and testing forages for quality can make designing a feeding program easy and economical.  Nutrient concentration can vary considerably in…

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Limit Feeding Cows Corn as an Alternative to Hay

While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Photo credit Troy Walz. Feed costs make up the largest expense in a cow-calf operation. While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Considering corn has a higher energy content than hay, the cost of feeding hay is often…

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Short-Season Forages for Late Summer Planting

Mark Sulc, Extension Forage Agronomist and Bill Weiss, Extension Dairy Nutritionist Early November growth of Italian ryegrass (left) and oat+winter rye (right) after mid-September planting in Ohio Short-season forages planted in late summer can be sources of highly digestible fiber in ruminant livestock rations. There are several excellent forage options that can be considered for no-till or conventional tillage plantings in the late summer or early fall planting window. These forages can be a…

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