1. Beef Extension Specialist
Low Quality Hay
Dr. Ron Lemenager
Beef Extension Specialist

2. Low Quality Hay – 1st Cutting
4 common themes:
Rained on (maybe multiple times)
Cut late – advanced plant maturity
Long term plant injury (wheel tracks and windrows)
Baled too wet - heat damage and/or mold

3. 2. Cut late – Advanced Plant Maturity
(NDF)

4. Why is Forage Quality Compromised?
Crude Protein (CP)
May not decrease much, depends on leaf loss
Adjusted CP lower if heat damaged
Lower Energy (TDN) content
Higher Fiber (NDF, ADF) content
Reduced intake
Reduced DM digestibility (as much as 40%)

5. SOOO, How Bad Is My Hay? Visual appraisal Smell Forage Analysis Color
Presence/amount of
Seed heads
Weeds
Mold
Smell
Forage Analysis
$130 - Nasco
$439 - Haychec

6. Hay Analysis Sample hay by “lot”
Use a forage probe
20 samples/lot
Package and send mixed lot sample to Certified Lab
Cost ~$20/sample
Rank hays (poorest to best) based on analysis
Match nutrient analysis to animal requirements
Minimizes supplemental feed costs
Optimizes performance
Supplement, as needed to meet requirements

7. Beef Cow Nutrition Cycle: When are nutrient requirements highest?
High quality forage
Low quality forage
Late Gestation
Early Lactation
Mid to Late Lactation
Mid Gestation

8. Hay Quality vs. Cow Requirements
Item
Adjusted CP, %
TDN, %
NDF, %
RFV
1st Cut Alfalfa, July 4
13.2 52
58.2 87
Preflower Cereal Rye, May 20
64.6 81
2nd Cut Alf-Orchardgrass, July 15
17.0
50.5
101
2nd Cut Red clover-OG, Aug 10 54
54.3 96
Corn stalk grazing, 30 d
8.2 56 50
Baled corn stalks
5.2 70
Mid-gestation 8
50-53a
Late-gestation 10
54-57a
Early-lactation 12
57-63a
aUse low end of TDN range for mature cows with average milk production. Use high end of range for young cows and cows with high milk production potential.

9. Which Feeds Are Available?
Energy
Protein
Corn
++++ +
Distiller’s grains
Hominy ++
Corn gluten feed
+++
Soybean hulls
Wheat midds
Corn skins
Brewer’s grains
Cottonseed hulls

10. Precaution “Thumb Rules”
Corn grain (high starch)
Need to manage rumen pH for fiber digestion
Max of 0.3% body wt (1300 lb cow x .003 = 3.9 lb)
Corn by-products (high protein)
Distillers grains, Corn gluten feed, Brewer’s grains
Significant excess protein suppl. during gestation
Can increase birth weights and dystocia
High in phosphorus (need added calcium)
Ca:P ratio in final diet should be 1.5:1, or greater
Soybean hulls (hard pellets)
Need to manage bloat potential
Max of 1.0% body weight (1300 lb cow = max of 13 lb

11. Summary: Things to Consider
Obtain a nutrient analysis of forages
Inventory forages by quality
Match forage quality with nutrient needs
Determine supplemental nutrient needs
Balance diets to minimize costs
Use Body Condition Scores as a “guide”
Sort cow herd into nutritional groups
Adjust energy for cold stress

12. For More Information www.thebeefcenter.com www.beefroundtable.com
Dealing with Low Quality Forages
2 part video by clicking on presenters
Programs
October 2015 program