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Forage
Forage Extension Program
Time to Test Your Hay!
By Dennis Cash and John Paterson,
MSU Animal & Range Sciences Extension Specialists
(994-5688, dcash@montana.edu)
"...now
is the time to have your hay analyzed to develop
a good winter feed program.." |
Hay production and pasture conditions improved in 2005
for many areas of Montana on the heels of several consecutive
dry years. During drought, most ranchers made significant
changes in their operations to adjust for forage losses
in drought-stricken rangeland and pastures. In most
cases, the drought had expensive impacts such as shipping
of herds to pasture, purchase of high value hay, and
hauling stock water. Many ranches culled or weaned early
to reduce feed costs in the upcoming winter. Hay prices
are fairly depressed across the state due to high supplies,
but many producers may be re-stocking by saving more
replacement females for 2006.
Since hay and other stored forages are our major winter
feeds, now is the time to have your hay analyzed to
develop a good winter feed program.
How much hay do you need? Depending
on your location in Montana and winter 2005 –
2006 conditions, you will need a one to four-month supply
of hay. As a general rule of thumb, Montana ranchers
have historically stored about one ton of hay per cow
(this guideline was based on roughly 30 pounds of hay
per cow for 60 to 70 days). This guideline is fairly
useful, however it does not allow for larger cows, poor
quality roughages, extremely cold weather, or the possibility
of feeding hay into May 2006. Regardless of winter precipitation,
pasture conditions next spring could still be limiting,
so consider laying in 20 to 25% more hay than normal.
Why test hay and forages? Producers
should routinely get a representative hay analysis of
all hay. For the past several years, ranchers have purchased
hay from distant locations at fairly high prices. Hay
inspection and forage analyses have helped assure buyers
of decent hay quality. Hay is fed in large quantities,
and thorough forage testing is the first step to design
an economical winter feeding strategy. Hay is the bulk
package to deliver energy, protein, vitamins and minerals
to cattle, sheep and horses, and these can be tested
accurately and inexpensively. In the dairy states, hay
prices are directly related to forage quality, primarily
fiber and protein levels. Based on the wide variety
and condition of hays that will be fed in Montana this
winter, compounded with variable livestock and environmental
conditions, hay testing is strongly encouraged now.
How do I get a hay sample? Every hay
“lot” should be sampled separately. A hay
lot is defined as hay taken from the same field and
cut, harvested within 48 hours, and stored under the
same conditions. A hay lot may range from a pickup load
to 200 tons. Samples are best obtained using a hay probe
to randomly sample bales within a stack. The probe tip
should be sharp, and it should be inserted 12 to 18
inches into bales. Square bales should be sampled near
the center of their ends, and round bales should be
sampled on round edges. A minimum of 20 random cores
should be collected at different heights in a haystack
and composited. Every effort should be made to obtain
a random and representative sample, otherwise the forage
quality analysis may not be representative of what is
actually fed.
The composite sample from each hay lot (will be ½
to ¾ pound) should be mixed, sealed in plastic
bags, labeled and submitted to a forage testing laboratory.
Note that hay sampling and forage analyses are now offered
as a service by many feed companies for ranchers who
routinely purchase supplements and feed additives.
Where do I send a hay sample? There
are many labs available for forage quality analyses.
Most commercial hay producers use laboratories certified
for proficiency through the National Forage Testing
Association (NFTA). While certified labs are useful
in hay marketing, there are several other good labs
for ranchers wanting routine analyses of their own hay.
A complete directory of NFTA laboratories is available
on the web site (http://www.foragetesting.org/labs.php)
or at your local MSU Extension Service.
What tests should be run on my hay?
The definition of hay “quality” is the potential
of a forage to produce a desired animal response. Hay
quality includes palatability, digestibility, intake,
nutrient content and anti-quality factors, but some
of these characteristics are not measured by lab tests.
For a winter feeding program in Montana, the primary
forage quality tests to request are: crude protein (CP),
acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber
(NDF). Crude protein levels of alfalfa and grass-alfalfa
hays in Montana typically range from about 9 to over
20%, so in some cases protein supplements will be required.
The ADF component is cellulose, lignin and ash, and
low ADF values are correlated to increased digestibility.
The ADF value can be used to estimate total digestible
nutrients (TDN), and net energy predictions for maintenance,
growth or lactation. The NDF consists of cell wall components,
and a low NDF value is correlated with potential high
intake levels. Daily dry matter intake (DMI) as a percent
of an animal’s bodyweight can be estimated directly
from the NDF values.
Laboratories use a variety of accepted testing procedures,
and the cost for analysis of CP, ADF and NDF ranges
from about $15 to $40, with a turnaround time of 2 to
14 days, depending on labs. Other useful analyses for
Montana forages include calcium, phosphorus, potassium
and magnesium, and in some known instance the trace
minerals copper and zinc. Nitrate concentration is an
example of an anti-quality forage factor. Many of our
small grain hays (barley, hay barley, oat and wheat)
can accumulate toxic levels of nitrate, particularly
when grown under stress conditions. We strongly recommend
that all small grain hays grown in Montana since 1999
be tested for nitrate concentration prior to feeding.
How Do I put it all together? After
receiving the forage analyses back from the laboratory,
it is now time to use the information to balance rations
to provide desired levels of productivity (late gestation,
early lactation, replacement heifers etc.). The county
agents in Montana have computer software in their offices
which can be used to balance rations for cows and replacement
heifers. These programs called Balancer and Grower are
useful in helping you to determine what options are
available to you in designing your winter feeding programs.
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