Lack of rainfall this season has begun to create concerns about a reduced hay harvest. First-cutting yields have been lower than normal in drier areas and in fields with light-textured soils. If dry conditions continue into July, second cutting hay may see similar yield reductions. For hay buyers, this can mean a smaller supply to choose from and higher prices. Navigating the effects of a short hay supply requires a back-to-basics approach.
Quality and Feed Value
Purchasing hay begins with an understanding of quality and feed value. Quality assessment should start with looking at plant conditions and soil health; it should also include a forage analysis. If growing conditions are less than ideal, such as during a drought, buyers should expect higher quality to be hard to find and priced at a premium.
During a drought, nutrient availability for the next cutting becomes a significant concern. Having sufficient nutrients for each cutting is a routine issue to address when raising forages. However, in dry conditions, there is less nutrient mobility and microbial activity which affect plant uptake and nutrient use. These conditions can affect overall quality and lead to higher soil nitrate levels especially in summer annuals and corn. Higher nitrate levels can lead to concerns of nitrate toxicity in forage crops, which is potentially fatal when fed to livestock.
Ask sellers to provide a copy of a forage test analysis, if available. If test results are not available, discuss whether one can be obtained. Common forage testing provides information on dry matter, digestibility and protein. There are a number of laboratories that provide forage analysis testing and can be easily found via a Google search. Testing is recommended anytime hay is being bought.
To ensure accuracy of testing, a proper sample is needed. Phil Kaatz, MSU Extension field crops educator, walks through a proper sampling process in his article on hay sampling.
Source: msu.edu
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ianchrisgraham
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Hay & Forage, Weather