Page 29 - MWC 9-15-2022s2

there could be a variation in Summary The Midwest Cattleman · September 15, 2022 · P29
the nutritive value between Testing your hay for its
the two analyses. Therefore, quality allows you to better
in order to compare different meet livestock nutritional
hay qualities, it is important requirements. Sampling and
to get them all tested with testing hay for quality can
the same analysis (i.e., either make designing a feeding
all with wet chemistry or all program easy and economi-
with NIRS). cal. It provides information
Don’t forget about nitrates that allows producers to cre-
When sending the samples ate feed rations for their herd
to the lab it is important for accurately and cost effective-
the sample to be analyzed for ly. Additionally, it is import-
moisture, protein, and ener- ant to keep inventory records
gy. Samples can also be test- on our hay to know our pro-
ed for minerals and nitrates. duction numbers and how
Testing for nitrates is recom- much hay we have available
mended on annual forages before heading into winter so
harvested for hay, such as fox- that we can plan accordingly.
tail millet, oats, sudan grass, During hay season, it is im-
and sorghum-sudan hybrids, portant to test forages such as
because they can accumulate oats, fox millet, sudan grass,
high levels of nitrates under and sorghum-sudan hybrids
various growing conditions for nitrates. Although testing
that can potentially reach a hay can be an added cost, it
toxic level (Berger, A., 2017). is important to do so. Nitrate
Testing for nitrates through poisoning can cause serious
Ward Labs costs $12.75/sam- illness or even sudden death
ple. While it adds cost, the in livestock. Testing hay for
test indicates whether the nitrates indicates whether
nitrate content in your hay is the nitrate content in your
safe for your livestock to con- hay is safe for your livestock
sume. to consume.
UW

CONSIDERATIONS priate rest periods, do not
continued from page 26 graze more than 50% of the
growth, and avoid grazing
The more food that is avail- wet areas which can cause
able for the microorganisms, compaction. Improvements
the more they reproduce and in soil health can help with
the quicker they do their job. productivity and resilience
Once again, a larger root sys- of the pasture. I am not sug-
tem has a greater potential gesting that you do away with
for feeding the microorgan- soil testing. Proper pH adjust-
isms. ment and fertilizer applica-
Improvements in grazing tions are needed for healthy
management can have pos- plants which are vital to im-
itive effects on soil health. A provements in soil health.
few points to remember when
trying to build soil health in OSU
your pasture include: use ro-
tational grazing with appro-

A soil test will let us know the pH and the amount of some of the important nutrients
that will be available to our plants. This is a great tool to help manage pasture produc-
tivity.