Variables to Consider When Buying Hay

OMAHA (DTN) -- While most of the Midwest has seen ample moisture this growing season, benefitting forage production, there are areas that remain in drought.

Kansas is one state still showing several designations of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor Map (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/…). The Sunflower State currently has D0 (Abnormally Dry) to D2 (Severe Drought) drought.

Cattle producers may need to purchase hay in the coming months as their own forage fields may yield less than normal. One Kansas State University (KSU) Extension specialist wants producers to consider several factors when purchasing hay.

KNOW FORAGE QUALITY

Phillip Lancaster, KSU Extension beef cattle nutritionist, said many producers will buy hay from other parts of the state and even from different regions of the country. Producers who need hay with higher nutrient requirements may have to start looking elsewhere to find higher-quality hay than they were able to put up themselves this growing season.

Many producers will buy forage with remote transactions and contactless payments. Lancaster said those purchasing hay have to get eyes on the hay to ensure it is quality forage.

"There are several different aspects we can evaluate by visiting the farm and looking at the hay in person," said Lancaster, in a KSU press release (https://www.maraisdescygnes.k-state.edu/…). "One of the biggest things is its leaf-to-stem ratio. The highest quality hay will have more leaves with fewer stems and seed heads."

Lancaster recommends hay buyers ask sellers for a test to guarantee nutritional value. A test will state protein percentage, fiber amount and relative feed value.

This figure can be compared to a standard number that allows a producer to see where that hay ranks and what is considered good quality, he said

BUYERS SHOULD ASK QUESTIONS

Buyers should ask questions about the forage for sale. These questions should include what number cutting the hay was and where did the hay originate from. Another good question is to ask if a forage test was done on the hay and was the sample of forage taken using a bale core.

Lancaster said beyond price, producers also need to evaluate a forage price relative to its quality using a cost per unit of nutrient value.

"Figure out what the key nutrient is you are going to need out of the hay you are buying and determine its cost per unit (usually measured in dollars per pound)," he said. "In beef cattle, the main nutrient of concern is energy, so look at the cost per unit of total digestible nutrients (TDN), which estimates a forage's digestibility."

Lancaster recommends producers purchase forage on a tonnage basis instead of a per bale basis. Livestock eat pounds, they don't eat volume, he said.

"Having a total weight in tons gives a producer the ability to better calculate how much is needed and if enough is being purchased," Lancaster said. "When bales are not wrapped to the same density, their sizes and weights can vary greatly."

KNOW CLASS OF ANIMALS

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) press release also details some of the particulars about pricing hay and assessing bale quality (https://beef.unl.edu/…).

The principles to be aware of when purchasing hay, according to UNL, include paying on a per ton or per bale basis, knowing the hay quality and buying bales that are tightly rolled. Net wrap bales shed water and bales should be free of mold, weed seeds and dangerous levels of nitrates (depending on the forage species).

The class of animals (heifers versus cows, dry versus lactating, thin versus fat condition, etc.) consuming the hay will determine the quality of hay needed to be purchased. If possible, buy hay that will best match those requirements.

However, quality of hay can be supplemented with additional protein and energy sources if higher quality hay is hard to locate, according to the release.

A lab analysis should be used to determine the quality of the hay. Core sample 15 to 20 bales from each lot and send the samples to a lab for testing.

Tests generally cost around $18 for Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to $28.50 for wet chemistry, the report stated.

"These tests calculate moisture content, crude protein (CP), relative feed value (RFV), relative forage quality (RFQ) and additional information including mineral content and nitrate levels," according to the UNL release.

CONSIDER HAY STORAGE CONCERNS

How the hay was stored prior to a transaction and after it is also important. Lancaster said buyers should ask the particulars about how bales were stored before buying hay.

"Ask the seller, 'Was it covered?' and 'Was it raised off the ground?' to figure out how much moisture a given bale was potentially absorbed in storage," Lancaster said.

Once the hay is purchased, UNL recommends hay buyers locate hay bale yards in a well-drained area out in the open with easy access in the winter for feeding.

Rows should line up north to south, at least three feet apart so sunlight will reach a greater portion of the bale. This will help evaporate moisture from the bales and the ground around them quickly, according to the release.

Russ Quinn can be reached at Russ.Quinn@dtn.com

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