Hay has been and is still being baled across Pottawatomie County. Every year’s hay crop and quality are different, even if you put it up at the same time, because of the changes in environmental conditions. Knowing the quality of the hay is a basic building block of a winter nutrition program.
High-quality hay can save a lot of money on feed supplements. Low-quality hay can cost you a lot in reproductiveness of a beef cow if you’re not aware of nutrient content and don’t make needed allowances through your supplementation program.
According to a recent OSU cow/calf enterprise budget, 29 percent of the operating costs can be attributed to hay and feed. That would make hay and feed a good area to target when looking for cost-saving opportunities. A first step in this process should be managing the available forage resources to allow the cows to harvest their own forage. But it is unlikely that hay feeding will be completely eliminated in most cow/calf operations. Then it becomes important to know if the hay alone will meet the nutrient requirements of the cows or if additional supplementation will be needed.
It is generally accepted that — fed-free choice — hay with 8 percent crude protein will meet the needs of a dry cow and 10 percent crude protein the needs of a lactating cow. Unfertilized Bermuda grass, fescue or native meadows harvested in July might be expected to contain 5 or 6 pecent crude protein. Fertilized Bermuda grass harvested on a four-week schedule might contain 12 to 14 percent crude protein.
To design a least-cost supplementation program that meets the nutritional requirements of the livestock, you must know the nutrient content of the hay. This is done through a hay test.
Many producers that feed hay containing plants that have a tendency to accumulate nitrates, use the same sample they are testing for protein content to check for nitrate toxicity. Plants that can accumulate nitrates are sorghum/sudans. Pearl millet and Johnson grass both have this potential.
Others have the potential, however, we just don’t see them in pastures or hay during the right time of season, which is when plants can be stressed. Prussic acid is not a problem in forages that have been baled. After cutting, the drying process dissipates the prussic acid. However, if you bale any of these forages getting it tested for nitrates in addition to the protein is easy and only costs $6 for each test.
The easiest way to collect a representative forage sample is to borrow a forage probe from the county extension office. If sampling small square bales, collect a single probe from 20 bales.
Collect two probes per bale from 10 bales if sampling either large round or large square bales. Sample each lot of hay separately. A lot would be a group of bales that had been managed alike, such as one cutting date from one field.
Deliver the sample to the county extension office (when you return the forage probe). Allow about two weeks for the sample to make it through the process. Time in the lab is only one to five days, depending on the tests requested, but you have to allow for mail time and processing.
The basic protein analysis will provide adequate information to determine if supplemental feed is needed. Then, when the results arrive, the extension office can assist you in planning the appropriate use of the hay and a supplementation program if needed.
A computer program will be run with your hay protein number and gives you several options of different feed supplements to be fed with your hay to meet cow needs. With production costs tight, never guess when you can know the answers.
If you have questions concerning this topic or related topics, contact the OSU Extension Center at 273-7683, stop by the office, or visit our Web site: http://countyext.okstate.edu/pottawatomie/.
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Hay has been and is still being baled across Pottawatomie County. Every year’s hay crop and quality are different, even if you put it up at the same time, because of the changes in environmental conditions. Knowing the quality of the hay is a basic building block of a winter nutrition program.
High-quality hay can save a lot of money on feed supplements. Low-quality hay can cost you a lot in reproductiveness of a beef cow if you’re not aware of nutrient content and don’t make needed allowances through your supplementation program.
According to a recent OSU cow/calf enterprise budget, 29 percent of the operating costs can be attributed to hay and feed. That would make hay and feed a good area to target when looking for cost-saving opportunities. A first step in this process should be managing the available forage resources to allow the cows to harvest their own forage. But it is unlikely that hay feeding will be completely eliminated in most cow/calf operations. Then it becomes important to know if the hay alone will meet the nutrient requirements of the cows or if additional supplementation will be needed.
It is generally accepted that — fed-free choice — hay with 8 percent crude protein will meet the needs of a dry cow and 10 percent crude protein the needs of a lactating cow. Unfertilized Bermuda grass, fescue or native meadows harvested in July might be expected to contain 5 or 6 pecent crude protein. Fertilized Bermuda grass harvested on a four-week schedule might contain 12 to 14 percent crude protein.
To design a least-cost supplementation program that meets the nutritional requirements of the livestock, you must know the nutrient content of the hay. This is done through a hay test.
Many producers that feed hay containing plants that have a tendency to accumulate nitrates, use the same sample they are testing for protein content to check for nitrate toxicity. Plants that can accumulate nitrates are sorghum/sudans. Pearl millet and Johnson grass both have this potential.
Others have the potential, however, we just don’t see them in pastures or hay during the right time of season, which is when plants can be stressed. Prussic acid is not a problem in forages that have been baled. After cutting, the drying process dissipates the prussic acid. However, if you bale any of these forages getting it tested for nitrates in addition to the protein is easy and only costs $6 for each test.
The easiest way to collect a representative forage sample is to borrow a forage probe from the county extension office. If sampling small square bales, collect a single probe from 20 bales.
Collect two probes per bale from 10 bales if sampling either large round or large square bales. Sample each lot of hay separately. A lot would be a group of bales that had been managed alike, such as one cutting date from one field.
Deliver the sample to the county extension office (when you return the forage probe). Allow about two weeks for the sample to make it through the process. Time in the lab is only one to five days, depending on the tests requested, but you have to allow for mail time and processing.
The basic protein analysis will provide adequate information to determine if supplemental feed is needed. Then, when the results arrive, the extension office can assist you in planning the appropriate use of the hay and a supplementation program if needed.
A computer program will be run with your hay protein number and gives you several options of different feed supplements to be fed with your hay to meet cow needs. With production costs tight, never guess when you can know the answers.
If you have questions concerning this topic or related topics, contact the OSU Extension Center at 273-7683, stop by the office, or visit our Web site: http://countyext.okstate.edu/pottawatomie/.
