3. Reported Number of Days Feeding Hay
140
With the longer growing season in the Southeast, we can do better!
We should feed much less than 60 days/year!
140
140
Lacefield, et al. 2011

4. How Much Hay Do I Need? Hay Tonnage Required (tons of hay) =
Head in the herd x avg. lbs of b.w. x DMI, % of b.w. x days (1-Storage Loss, %) x (1-Feeding Loss, %) x 2000 lbs/ton

5. Typical Hay Storage Losses
Storage Method
Twine
Net wrap
(% of dry weight)
Pole barn
2-5%
Hoop structure
Tarp
5-10%
5-8%
Stack pad,
covered stack
uncovered stack
15-40%
10-30%
Plastic wrap
N/A
Outside on ground,
well-drained
20-40%
poor drainage/shaded
30-60%
30-45%

6. Typical Hay Feeding Losses
Feeding Method
Feeding Period (days)
% Waste
Mechanical hay feeder/unroller
< 1
2 - 7%
Cone hay ring
1-3
Hay ring
4 - 8%
Hay trailer %
Hay cradle %
Bale, no protection
20%+
Bale, unrolled 4+
Adapted from: Southern Forages (5th ed.); Buskirk et al., J. Anim. Sci. 81: ; Ball et al., 1998; and Hancock, unpublished data.

7. How Much Hay Do I Need? Hay Tonnage Required (tons of hay) =
Head in the herd x avg. lbs of b.w. x DMI, % of b.w. x days (1-Storage Loss, %) x (1-Feeding Loss, %) x 2000 lbs/ton
Hay Tonnage Required (tons of hay)
100 x 1300 x 2.0% x 120 (1-25%) x (1-10%) x 2000
= tons

8. Costs of Feeding Hay 1300 lbs/cow x 2.0 lbs of hay = 26 lbs/hd/d
100 lbs of b.w.

9. Costs of Feeding Hay $1.50/hd/d 1300 lbs/cow x 2.0 lbs of hay
= 26 lbs/hd/d
100 lbs of b.w. X
$100/dry ton of hay
2000 lbs
= $0.05/lb of hay
$1.50/hd/d

10. Subtract an average of:
Costs of Feeding Hay
1500 lbs/cow x lbs of hay
= 30 lbs/hd/d
100 lbs of b.w. X
$100/dry ton of hay
2000 lbs
= $0.05/lb of hay
$1.50/hd/d
Also,
Subtract an average of:
15% feeding loss
30% storage loss
15% other losses
$ $2.00
per head per day

12. LOSS ACCUMULATE WITH EACH STEP
Field curing
10-25% loss
LOSS ACCUMULATE WITH EACH STEP
Harvesting
7-15% loss
It’s not unusual to see total losses of 70% or greater
Storage
20-45% loss
Feeding
10-30% loss

13. Efficiencies of Grazing and Mechanized Harvest
Method
Efficiency
Grazing
Continuous Stocking
30-40%
Slow Rotation (3-4 paddocks)
50-60%
Moderate Rotation (6-8 paddocks)
60-70%
Strip Grazing, Daily Rotation
70-80%
Mechanical
Hay
30-70%
Silage
60-85%
Green Chop
70-95%

14. How Much Hay Acreage Do I Need?
Hay Acreage Required
Head x lbs of b.w. x DMI, % of b.w. x days Forage Use Efficiency x Hay Yield/acre
= Acres Required
Hay Acreage “Required”
100 hd x 1500 lbs/cow x 2.0% x 120 days/yr 70% efficiency x 12,000 lbs/acre/yr
= 43 acres

15. Effect of Grazing System on Hay Needs
-39%
lbs hay
fed/cow
-31%
-25%
-22%
$37.54/cow savings using $100/ton hay