Les Vough

1

What To Look For In Evaluating Hay

• Les Vough
• Forage Systems Management Consultant
• NRCS Southern Maryland Resource Conservation
  Development
• and
• Forage Crops Extension Specialist Emeritus
• University of Maryland

2
Forage Quality

• Generally means same thing as feeding value.
• Is dependent upon the availability of the
  nutrients consumed and the quantity of forages
  voluntarily consumed.

3
Estimating Forage Quality Visually

• Visual estimates of forage
• quality are based on factors known to influence
  feeding value and animal performance.

4
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• Stage of Maturity
• Leafiness
• Color
• Odor and Condition
• Foreign Material

5
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• Stage of Maturity

6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
Stage of Maturity

• Where greatest progress can be made on many
  farms.
• Most important single factor affecting forage
  quality.

9
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• 1. Stage of Maturity
• 2. Leafiness

10
Leaves

• Most valuable part of hay
• Contain 90 of protein

11
Leafiness

• Can vary from 65-70 for very leafy alfalfa hay
  to only 10-15 for very stemmy hay.

12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• 1. Stage of Maturity
• 2. Leafiness
• 3. Color

15
Color

• Can be deceiving.
• Humans emphasize it animals colorblind.
• If hay is off-color, what type of damage and how
  extensive?

16
Color Indication of

• Bright green Rapid proper curing
• Golden/yellow Sun-bleaching or
  over-mature grass
• Brown/black Rain damage
• Brown/black Heat damage
• w/ musty odor

17
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• 1. Stage of Maturity
• 2. Leafiness
• 3. Color
• 4. Odor and Condition

18
Factors Known To Influence Hay Quality And Animal
Performance

• 1. Stage of Maturity
• 2. Leafiness
• 3. Color
• 4. Odor and Condition
• 5. Foreign Material

19
Foreign Material

• Non-injurious
  
  
• (weeds, straw, cornstalks,
  sticks, etc.)
• Injurious
• (poisonous plants, wire, glass,
  etc.)

20
Score Sheet for Visually Evaluating Hay

• Factor Possible Score
• Stage of Maturity 30
• Leafiness 20
• Color 20
• Odor and Condition 20
• Foreign Material 10
• Total 100

21

• Combining visual inspection
• and chemical analysis greatly improve the
  accuracy of the predicted nutritive value of
  hay.

22

23
Comparison of Chemical Analysis and Visual
Inspection

• Factor Chemical Visual
• Maturity Good Fair
• Leafiness Fair Good
• Color Poor Good
• Odor Condition Poor Good
• Foreign Material Poor Good

24
Forage Testing

• Separate samples should be taken
• for each cutting and each field as
• quality will depend upon harvesting
• dates, weather conditions, fertilization
• practices and insect damage.

25
http//www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/PDFs/FS64
4.pdf
http//www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/

Publication.cfm?ID110
26
The End ---- Questions?