Buy the right hay

Buy the right hay

Winter has officially arrived and we typically purchase hay in the fall or towards the end of the year. Several loads of hay were delivered to our house over the weekend and I think our forage reserves are now finally adequate.

Without knowing the actual nutritional value of hay, all recommendations are relative and can be subject to error. The only way to confidently adjust a feeding program related to hay quality is to have the hay analyzed by a laboratory.

Producers can look at characteristics of hay such as color, odor, dust, and texture; however, these indicators are not conclusive indicators of quality. On the other hand, buyers can also avoid buying hay that has obvious problems, such as mold or noxious weeds.