Page 19 - MWC 10-26-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · October 26, 2023 · P19

A Hay Test is Worth Every Penny By Christine Gelley, OSU Extension

As hay making season results you get back will give here to help you. We have 9.Label the sample bag
ends and hay feeding season you the information you need tools you can borrow and with your name and sample
approaches, it is time to re- to decide what type of feed personnel to help with con- ID.
mind everyone who feeds hay and how much you will need sultation. Here are the steps 10.Complete the Sample
how important getting a hay to purchase to keep your an- of how to take a hay test. Information Form for the lab
test completed is for deciding imals productive until good 1.Subsamples can be col- you wish to use.
how to feed your livestock pasture is available to graze lected with a Hay Probe and 11.Return the Hay sam-
this winter. A hay test will again. a clean bucket or with your ple(s) along with the Sample
cost you far less than the cost If you have never done a hands and large scissors. Information Form.
of a single round bale. The hay test before, Extension is 2.Select 10 random bales 12.Go over the results of
from the same field and cut- your hay test with a profes-
ting. sional familiar with how to
3.Drill/Reach into the feed your class of livestock.
center of the bale, from the When you get your hay
wrapped side, not the ex- test back there are some key
posed side, and remove a terms that are important to
probeful/handful of hay. understand for interpreta-
4.Hold over the bucket and tion. Forage nutritive values
empty/cut 4-6-inch-long piec- analyses from the laboratory
es. often include the following
5.Repeat the above until factors:
you have subsampled all 10 •Dry matter (DM) is the
bales. percentage of feed that is not
6.With your hands, gen- water.
tly mix up the pieces in the •Crude protein (CP) mea-
bucket. sures both true protein and
7.Fill a quart plastic bag non-protein nitrogen.
with your composite sample. •Adjusted crude protein
8.Press out all the air and (ACP) is a value corrected
seal the bag.
continued on page 24