Hay Considerations Part of the Ruminant Livestock: Facing New Economic Realities Meetings

Basics Feed cost can account up to 75% of the cost of keeping a cow. It is generally 3x more expensive to feed an animal than to make them graze it.

Effects of three cow wintering systems on feed costs ItemPastureLimit-fed corn Hay Total days harvested feed Harvested feed cost/cow/d a $.12.84$1.61 Total harvested feed cost/cow $13.44$94.08$ Pasture rental, $/cow/d$.36 Total cost, $/cow/d$.48$.84$1.61 a Prices used: Corn = $2.00/bu, Hay = $80/ton, Supplement = $150/ton. Source: Loerch 2005

Hay is Cheap? Fertilizer replacement cost per ton of hay = $75.55 Equipment/labor cost Per acre –Mowing - $10.50 –Tedding - $5.85 –Raking - $5.90 Baling (per bale) –Small square - $0.44 –Large Round - $17.35 Land, Quality ??

Nutrient Removal in Hay NutrientLb. Removed per Ton Price per Pound Replacement Value Nitrogen45$0.79$35.55 Phosphate15$0.65$9.75 Potash55$0.55$30.25 Total = $75.55 per ton of hay Prices from February 19, 2008

Defining Forage Quality Common quality measures: DM ADF NDF CP DDM DMI RFV RFQ

Defining Forage Quality Dry Matter (DM) all material that is not water Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) consists of cellulose & lignin does not represent the total amount of fiber in a feed diets low in ADF promote health problems

Defining Forage Quality Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) the best measure of total fiber includes all of the structural carbohydrates includes cellulose, hemicellulose & lignin NDF is a good index of forage quality low NDF = high quality NDF is the single best indicator of total fiber

Defining Forage Quality Crude Protein (CP) is the total nitrogen in a sample x 6.25 is easily & accurately measured CP can be used as a general indicator of forage quality high CP generally implies high quality BUT…high CP doesn’t always mean low fiber

Defining Forage Quality Relative Feed Value (RFV) an index used to rank forages by their potential intake of digestible dry matter calculated from ADF and NDF, CP content is not considered in RFV is used to allocate the correct forage to animal performance, to price hay, & to assess forage management skills typically, higher RFV = higher price

Defining Forage Quality (New Method) Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) –an index to rank forages by their potential intake of Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) –a better rating when comparing grasses & legumes

Forage Quality The Importance of Testing & Analysis –forages play an important role in animal production –forages are a high value crop & require mgmt. –livestock producers require analysis for ration balancing –forage analysis is necessary for marketing purposes

Sampling Hay Collect one sample per lot 10 to 20 small bales (one core per bale) 5 to 8 large bales (4 cores per bale) Hay probe sharp tip no greater than 3/4” and no less than 3/8” 90 degree angle avoid cutting leaves from stems adequate sample size penetrate bale at least 12” never subsample, send entire sample to lab RANDOM, RANDOM, RANDOM

Forage Quality Summary There are many tools available to measure forage quality Sampling forages on a periodic basis is important There is no substitution for lab analysis You need to know the quality of your forages to make management decisions

Grasses Leafy Boot Heading Bloom Legumes Leafy Prebud Bud Bloom High Medium Low Composition, Relative Values Growth Stages Protein, % Leaves, % Minerals, % Stems, % Fiber & Lignin, %

Affect of letting field go for hay.

Alfalfa Quality by Maturity Stage CPADFNDFRFV Late vegetative Bud Early bloom ½ bloom Full bloom

Grass Quality by Maturity Stage CPADFNDFRFV Vegetative1833<55113 Early heading Head (milk-dough) Head (dough) Mature<8>46>65<73

Timely hay harvest DateCP %RFVLbs. 4/ / / / / /

1200 lbs. Mature Body Weight & 20 lbs. Peak Milk

Can hay meet the cows needs? Late Bloom Orchard Grass Hay. TDN – 54 %DM CP – 8.4 %DM

1200 lbs. Mature Body Weight & 20 lbs. Peak Milk

The best time to feed our poor quality hay? Right after weaning