USING A TEST HAY FOR FEEDING LIVESTOCK

Shelby J. FilleyRegional Livestock & Forage SpecialistProper nutrition at a lower costUSING A TEST HAY FOR FEEDING LIVESTOCK

OBJECTIVES Understanding a HayAnalysis Report Matching Nutrient Supply& Demand

TESTING HAY/FEEDING APPROPRIATELY One producer reducedfeeding cost by 38/cowby substituting a lowquality forage (grass seedstraw) for 25% of his feedAnother sold 90 tons ofhigh quality haydetermined to be in excessof his needs A third reduced the cost perpound gain on weanedcalves by adding barley to aforage-based program A forth purchased Orchardgrass straw, sold alfalfa,and profited 4,000Average savings 18/headover the winter feeding period

OSU FORAGE EVALUATION LABORATORYSamplinginstructions

OSU FORAGE EVALUATION LABORATORY Order form Beef CattleOther Livestock

UNDERSTANDING YOUR FORAGE TEST RESULTS Many terms/acronymsRelated to plantcomponents Cell wallCell contentsLets start with the plantfirst, then return to thelaboratory report

ForageQuality is related to physicalcharacteristics of the plant Components & Morphology

PLANT CELLPRIMARYWALLSECONDARYWALLCELLCONTENTS PROTEIN SUGARS STARCH PECTINS FATSCROSS SECTION

NEUTRALDETERGENTFIBER (NDF)INSIDESECONDARY WALLHEMICELLULOSELIGNINCELLULOSEPRIMARY WALLOUTSIDEACIDDETERGENTFIBER (ADF)

Dry Matter Digestibility (%)FORAGE ADF AND DRYMATTER DIGESTIBILITY696765636159572829303132333435Forage ADF (%)Adapted from Miller et al. (1991)

INSIDESECONDARY WALLNEUTRALDETERGENTFIBER (NDF)HEMICELLULOSELIGNINCELLULOSEPRIMARY WALLOUTSIDEACIDDETERGENTFIBER (ADF)

Dry Matter intake (% of BW)FORAGE NDF AND DRYMATTER Forage NDF (%)Adapted from Mertens (1985) & Burns et al. (1997)

FORAGE VALUE& PLANT MATURITY As plants mature:Fiber increases:Acid detergent fiber (ADF) & Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) Protein & energy decrease Digestibility decreases (ADF factor) Feed intake decreases (NDF factor)

FORAGE PLANT CHARACTERISTICS Forage Quality Young, tender growth vs. older, fibrous growth

DM (Ton/acre)TRADE-OFF BETWEEN YIELD 19CUTTING DATE406/297/97/19

TRADE-OFF BETWEEN YIELD ANDPROTEINDM 06/29CUTTING DATE7/97/19

MAKE GOOD HAYOR WATCH YOUR NEIGHBORING FIELDSFOR GOOD CUTTING PRACTICES

TYPICAL CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OFGRASSESMATURITYVEG-BOOTCP 18ADF 33NDF 55BOOT-EARLY HEAD 13-1834-38 55-60HEAD-MILK39-41 61-65DOUGH8-12 8 41 65

TYPICAL CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OFALFALFAMATURITYCPADF NDFBud-First Flower 19 31 40F.F.- mid bloom 17-19 31-35 40-46Mid-full bloom13-16 36-41 46-51Post bloom 13 41 51

GRASS/CLOVER HAYAND HALAGECRUDEPROTEIN (%)ACIDDETERGENTFIBER (%)NEUTRALDETERGENTFIBER (%)TOTALDIGESTIBLENUTRIENTS(%)% OF GHPROTEIN(12-16%CP)HAYLAGE(1 288-

ALFALFA BASED FORAGESCRUDEPROTEIN(%)ACIDDETERGENTFIBER (%)NEUTRALDETERGENTFIBER (%)TOTALDIGESTIBLENUTRIENTS(%)ALFALFA/GRASS MIXALFALFAALFALFAHAYLAGE17 - 2016- 202031 -3834-434143 - 5041-535059 - 6156-6057

Moisture waterDry Matter total - waterDM protein, fats, carbohydrates, ashFor example:1 ton load of feedDiffering %DMDiffers in amount of feedCompare feeds (hayor baleage)on a 100% DM basis

Crude ProteinCP %N x 6.25Acid Detergent Fiber(ADF; cellulose & lignin)est. digestibilityNeutral Detergent Fiber(NDF; cellulose,hemicellulose, & lignin)est. intakeCrude Fat(ether extract, EE)Usually 3%Non StructuralCarbohydrates(NSC)

Total Digestible Nutrients(TDN; sum ofnutrients x digestibilityNet Energy (NE) Gross Energy - Losses- Heat of digestion- Gases- Urine- FecesMinerals:macro & microHorses - less efficientthan ruminants; havedifferent values for energy

USDA AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICEALFALFA & ALFALFA\GRASS HAY TESTING GUIDELINESADF(%)NDF(%)Supreme 27 34GradePremiumGoodFair27-29 34-3629-32 36-4032-35 40-44 35Feed Value 44UtilityRFV: RelativeRFVTDN100 (%)TDN90 (%)CP (%) 185 6255.9 22170185150170130150 13060-6258-6056-58 5654.555.952.554.550.552.5 50.520-2218-2016-18 16

IMPORTANCE OF KNOWINGFORAGE QUALITY Meetanimal nutrient requirements Accurate prediction of livestockproduction Foragemarketing

THE NUTRITION PUZZLE

Energy content of grass hay and energy requirements of ewes.EWE requirements66646260585654525048HAY contentONTI15105020CTALAMAINTWEEKS OF GESTATION

Protein content of grass hay and protein requirements of ewesEWE RequirementsHAY contnetNTIO20CTA151050WEEKS OF GESTATIONLAMAINT181614121086420

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF SELECTEDLIVESTOCK COMPARE TO y; %)Pregnant yearling heiferDry pregnant mature cow830 lb1100 lb1.30.98.67.858.853.1Lactating yearling heifer830.410.963.8Lactating cowPregnant ewe lamb110012100.359.711.856.663Pregnant Ewe1540.410.759Ewe with twinsEwe with 14.485.0Medium-frame steercalvesMedium-frame steercalves(NRC Sheep 1985 ; NRC Beef 1984).

REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFFERENTCLASSES OF n(%)0.901008Pregnant1.0 – 1.1 20 - 30 70 – 80 10 – 10.6Lactating1.2 – 1.15 35 - 50 50 – 65Working1.15 – 1.3 35 – 65 35 – 65 9.8 – 11.4Growing1.15 - 1.4 35 - 70 30 - 65 10.4 – 14.5Adapted from NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 198911 – 13.2

HORSE HAYSugar Content in Feed &Forage Affects Horses' Health CSU 01818 No “Low Carb” hay Potassium (K) Low sugar hay Watch fertilizer practices 10% sugars as WSC Species of grasses and(Water Soluble Carbohydrates) legumes All are okayFeed appropriately Nutrients to match activity

RATION BALANCING s/information-livestock-forages-production Beef workbook hasexamples for balancingrations that work forother livestockNutrient Requirementsfor Sheep, Goats,Horses, and Dairy CowsMineral Assessments

PEARSON SQUARE METHODOSU Cow-Culator - Forage.htmHire Nutritionist – it pays to have proper nutritionBagged feeds – expensive; follow bag instructions or risk unbalanced rations

NEXT STEPS TAKE AN ANIMAL NUTRITION CLASS

Acid detergent fiber (ADF) & Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) . EWE requirements HAY content WEEKS OF GESTATION Energy content of grass hay and energy requirements of ewes. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 T 0 5 10 15 ON20 EWE Requirements HAY contnet WEEKS OF GESTATION Protein content of grass hay and protein requirements of ewes .