The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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October 10, 2008

Farm: Nutrition value varies widely among hay bales

By Mike Surbrugg

msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — All hay is not created equally.

Two bales may look alike but one can have lower nutrient value for cattle, said Wesley Tucker, a University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist. He spoke about hay nutrition at the university’s Southwest Center Field Day on Sept. 12 near Mount Vernon.

Tucker used two large bales to make his point. Both were baled from the same field, one on May 15 and the other on July 15. The May bale had 14 percent crude protein and 60 percent energy while the July bale had 9 percent crude protein and 52 percent energy. The July hay will need to be supplemented with purchased feed to have the same nutritional value as the May hay.

Often, the most limiting factor is low energy, not protein, Tucker said.

“Southwest Missouri cattle owners feed more protein supplement than is needed and not enough energy,” he explained.

The area baled on May 15 would generate three 1,000-pound bales per acre while on July 15 it produced five bales of the same size per acre.

“The July hay is good for coffee shop bragging,” he said.

The only way to know the nutritional content is to have hay tested in a laboratory.

“If you do not sample your hay for quality, you cannot say feed prices are too high,” he said.

Craig Roberts, University of Missouri forage specialist, said farmers should not manage fescue for yields but for toxins. Most Missouri fields have a toxin that reduces animal weight gains and causes health problems in cattle. The fungus can drop the percent of bred cows calving to 55 percent from more than 90 percent.

“When you have a 50 percent calf crop, you have a year you are in business and the next year you have pets and the following year a petting zoo,” he said.

Tim Schnakenberg, extension agronomist at Galena, said adding clover to established fescue stands reduces nitrogen fertilizer needs, lowers toxicity, improves forage quality, animal gains and cow conception.

Mike Surbrugg is The Joplin Globe’s farm editor.

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