how to tell if hay is good quality

document.write(theYear); These stages generally appear – if we receive a normal amount of moisture – around the first week of May in most parts of Tennessee. If the … Most people can start to detect mold around 500,000 cfu/g. Hay typically loses only about 5 percent of its original dry matter during the first year of storage---assuming that it is kept in a dry environment, not exposed to direct sunlight or precipitation. Hay which is very dusty is not good to feed to horses, especially if your horses have respiratory issues. 4 tips for feeding poor quality hay. Beyond that time frame, further losses of dry matter, protein and energy are negligible, so hay that is 12 to 24 months old will have nearly the same protein and energy value as hay that is six to eight months … Hay with less than 500,000 cfu/g of mold is considered good quality. You often cannot tell the quality of the hay by just looking at the outside of a bale. The most reliable way to know the exact quality of your hay is to have it tested. These areas were likely sun bleached, meaning that the sun has over-dried the hay and has stripped it of some of its nutrients. Most people don’t need to test their hay. Make sure that the hay doesn’t smell like mold or mildew – if it does, refuse the hay. For many parts of the country, this summer will be one to remember for the wet haying season many ranchers had to deal with. Hay analysis takes time, so it’s not ideal when deciding whether to accept a hay delivery, but it’s a great step in making sure that you’re giving your horse the nutrition that he needs. If the heat seems to be excessive, then you may want to refuse the hay. And, good quality forage will generally do just fine with your horses – and you can always supplement. These stages generally appear – if we receive a normal amount of moisture – around the first week of May in most parts of Tennessee. When you get a hay delivery, you should take a few minutes to check the hay’s quality before you accept and unload the delivery. The first priority in choosing hay is to evaluate it for quality. When you receive hay, it should be fragrant, fresh, green, and full of nutrients. Good horse hay! NDF (neutral detergent fiber) and ADF (acid detergent fiber) are the tests used to determine the level of fiber in a forage. Privacy & Terms A basic hay analysis costs about $20. A good quality hay can help keep a horse healthy, while poor quality hay can be detrimental. Leave a Comment. Weed should be a good mix of not too wet, and not too dry. This is especially important if you’re concerned about the hay quality or if your horse is having nutrition problems. The same is true for your horse. If you see hay that more resembles the color of straw, then it may be old or have been bleached by sun. He says hay moisture can be very variable in an uneven or wet crop or if it has not been handled well. Here equine nutritionist Dr Annette Longland’s tells us how to tell whether our forage is good quality: 1. More leaves tends to provide more energy and less protein. But if you’re wanting a quicker, more inexact way of determining hay quality, here are a few things to go by. Hay has the potential to bring good money that makes it competitive with other crops, University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension forage specialist Bruce Anderson says, you just have to take the right management steps and hope for accommodating weather. Bad news, hay needs far more fertilizer than you think. Say the microwave or electric oven system. Tall fescue or orchard grass hay cut early will be high quality, and good to feed a lactating cow or calf. Image courtesy Purina. Amanda Radke 1 | Nov 12, 2015. With time, the hay can get so hot that it catches fire, endangering your barn and your horses. The smell of hay will give a clue to quality. Does it consist of young plants with short, easily bendable stems? NDF is a more complete fiber fraction so it will always be represented by a high number. Having your hay lab-tested would be the surest way to know its quality and nutritional content. Haylage is grass that has been preserved by ensiling it, this means wrapping it an anaerobic environment. This is normal. Although it’s not all about the colour, colour is important in determining Lucerne hay quality and nutritive value. University of Minnesota Equine Extension Program A goal would be to have < 35% ADF in either legume or grass forages. Leafiness. Hay should be a greenish color. Smell. | The smell of hay will give a clue to … Other legumes fed to horses include clover, lespedeza and in certain areas, perennial peanut hay. One of our nutrition experts may be able to help. Good colour indicates it was cut at the right time and should be higher in vitamins. Testing for hay gives insight into its nutritious value and protein content, and can uncover issues such as mineral imbalances that can degrade an animal's health. As the grass matures, the fiber levels increase and the protein decreases. if (theYear < 1900); Director Ashley Avis Of Disney+'s New Black Beauty Film Talks With iHeartHorses, Study Shows Horses Understand Our Intentions, Do Blanketed Horses Eat Less? In order to tell good weed vs bad weed, you’ll need to consider several different things regarding appearance, texture (feel), and smell. Once you’ve opened a bale of hay, feel the hay in the very center for heat. And, I figured that hay was hay. That tells you the hay has been properly cured. | But, sometimes it is IMPORTANT to know about the forage you are feeding. Do not decide to make haylage when hay has been down and rained on for weeks because the risk of having moldy or pour-quality feed increases the longer the hay has been laying in the swath. As previously described, forage quality reflects the ability of a given forage to meet the nutrient needs of the consuming animal. Like NDF, ADF is a good indicator of feed quality; higher values within a feed suggest lower-quality feed. Keep an eye out for areas which are much lighter than the color of the rest of the bale. and actual hay at 23% moisture. Although employees (probably) aren’t going to rip you off, it is still useful to understand the different grades of marijuana. What is haylage? While the centers of hay bales will typically be warmer, if hay is baled when it’s wet, those center areas can mold and generate heat in the process. I figured – why? Other legumes fed to horses include clover, lespedeza and in certain areas, perennial peanut hay. Mature horses require 10 to 12 percent CP (crude protein) in their diets. If someone offers you to sell their good quality barn-stored" last year's hay" at a bargain-basement price-take them up on it! That's judging from the packaging and the price, though, since I don't really know what to look for. now = new Date; Color is one of the easiest ways to tell if your marijuana is high quality or not. A hay analysis helps you better understand what you’re feeding your horse. It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. A good indicator is if it doesn't expand when you cut the strings. By only eating 18 lbs. Think about the leafy greens you eat. 1) The ‘Shelf’ System. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © 2020 I Heart Horses on the Foodie Pro Theme, « How To Make Your Own Homemade Horse Treats, BREAKING NEWS UPDATE – Reward Offered For Stolen Chincoteague Foal ». If you find mold, refuse the bale – mold indicates that the hay was baled when it was too wet. High leaf-to-stem ratio. Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. Then we can have Hay that is 66% moist stems and 33% dry leaves. Figure 2 shows two cuttings of hay in a study I conducted while at the University of Kentucky wherein the bales’ temperature was tracked over time. Color is one of the easiest ways to tell if your marijuana is high quality or not. Use your nose as well as your eyes. Mostly we're looking for green but it's important to also consider how much leaf and stalk there is. Look for a whole, named source of meat as the first ingredient (meaning the product contains more of that ingredient by weight than anything else). We have a 16 horse farm in Tennessee and use about 80 tons of hay per year. When selecting your horse’s forage, keep these six signs of good quality horse hay in mind: 1. Bates warns that waiting too late to cut hay could mean an additional expense for producers. This feeding results in the loss of some dry matter (DM), reduces the quality of the hay, and also generates heat. One of the most critical factors in making quality dry hay is timing. Once you’ve opened a bale of hay, feel the hay in the very center for heat. If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Few or no leaves and dark brown, black, or white hay should be rejected for mold and very poor nutrition. You likely prefer greens with leaves rather than just... 2. A good-quality grass hay may meet most of the adult horse's basic nutritional needs. SMS Terms & Conditions With hay that is half stems and half leaves that hay will test as 19% Moisture using a total moisture tester. I noticed at the vet's office that they sell a couple types of expensive cat foods that look like they're very good quality. Hay should be a greenish color. If the hay is still wet, it won’t make any crunching sounds. Also, moldy hay will smell different from dusty hay. Hay typically loses only about 5 percent of its original dry matter during the first year of storage---assuming that it is kept in a dry environment, not exposed to direct sunlight or precipitation. Most people don’t need to test their hay. The more leaves you have, … Brown cannabis, however, means its bad and could contain mold, pesticides or other funky stuff. The storage conditions of the hay also go a long way towards making sure that hay is top-quality. Traits of a Good Wet Dog Food. Nearly all hay goes through “a sweat” during the first few days after baling when the temperature rises. Even if the outer edge of a bale has faded from sun exposure and rain, the inside should still be green. Your horse’s diet depends on hay, but did you know that not all hay is the same? Again, though, if you have no experience at all with what quality weed should smell or look like, it can be a little difficult to pick out the ‘dank’ stuff from the ‘stank’ stuff. Producers need to time haymaking to coincide with the right stage of plant growth and weather conditions. Feed Central looks at many different aspects of your hay to determine the quality and these include: Maturity – The ideal time to cut your hay is between flowering when you can see the white anthers appear, up to the watery ripe stage when you can … Do this test with the hay at the bottom of your windrow. Well… testing hay is EASY! For Insulin Resistant horses, for Cushings Syndrome horses, for other metabolic diseases… and for athletes. Well-grown, quality cannabis buds should have a pungent, identifiable smell — that skunky aroma that ranges from slightly sweet to earthy to diesel-like — indicating high terpene content. And some of it is not ready to go. Marijuana should have a fresh smell that you can detect easily. It is not good judging moisture content from a single sample of drying hay. 5. The quality of hay is judged by its fiber and protein content. Good quality hay will be leafy with fine stems, free of dust, mold, and weeds, bright green, and have a good clean smell. Forage fiber content is the primary detractor to high intake and nutrient availability. The only way to know hay’s NDF content is to have it tested. Harvest or cut the hay at first bloom, also known as heading or the anthesis … In general, hays are classified as: Legume: Alfalfa is the most recognized legume hay fed to horses. Two acres can yield about 5 tons of hay per cut if you maintain soil quality. Good cannabis … We also don't want to see dusty hay or moldy hay and the flake should break apart easily. You likely prefer greens with leaves rather than just stems. And, good quality forage will generally do just fine with your horses – and you can always supplement. Where the Hay is Stored. Alternatively, inferior buds often lack any smell or smell similarly to hay … Do Not Sell My Personal Information CA Supply Chain Act. Most people can start to detect mold around 500,000 cfu/g. High leaf-to-stem ratio Think about the leafy greens you eat. Timing is important for not only when the forage crop needs to be cut, but also to chop it up while the weather is good, have someone packing the pit as more fresh haylage is collected, and to cover it … The color of a bale of hay can tell you a lot about its quality. While alfalfa or other legumes will fix their own nitrogen, phosphorus needs must be met in order to make full use of the N. There’s more good news, though. 2. When we bale this 19% Moisture Hay we shatter off 25% of the leaves. The old-timers used to talk about cutting hay around the Fourth of July, when they said, “it was stout and had some bottom to it.” Although maximum growth of the plant and peak yields occur around that time, the nutrient value is greatest earlier in the season, when pl… Teff Hay for Horses: Pros and Cons In recent years it has become popular among North American horse owners looking to reduce the amount of sugar in their horses’ diets. High-quality hay should be green and sweet smelling, with no traces of mold or excess dust. Choose an appropriate field. Colour: Good hay should be bright green in colour. We know that old habits are hard to break and there are so many misconceptions floating around about hay quality that are passed on through word-of-mouth advice. It is important that you check the quality of hay you use in your horse’s diet by core sampling and sending out for testing so you know what its protein content is and value to your horse’s overall nutrition. theYear=now.getYear(); You know it’s good when your bun is binkying all over the house just waiting patiently for it. If you buy your hay from a big box pet store or eCommerce site, you might be surprised to open a box of hay and see dry, brown, brittle Timothy hay. In general, hays are classified as: Legume: Alfalfa is the most recognized legume hay fed to horses. Small diameter stems. Good hay should smell somewhat sweet. An easy test to do to see if hay is ready and bend it in half. I know that it took me years to even consider testing the hay I purchased. THIS … In extreme cases, it can get so hot that the bales can catch on fire, even without a spark (i.e., spontaneous combustion). Check out our article Hay Bales: Round Vs. Square for more information and advice. When dried, clover hay doesn’t preserve the green color & becomes dry looking. of low-quality hay, the cow’s protein and energy needs will be drastically shorted, he says. Use your nose as well as your eyes. Smell. Tall fescue or orchard grass hay cut early will be high quality, and good to feed a lactating cow or calf. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage. Left in the field too long, and that hay will be rendered useless anyways, so it has to be baled right away. Refer back to table 1 shown in the first column (page 33 in June 2006 issue) for the changes in NDF and ADF with forage maturity. Hay with 500,00 to 1 million cfu/g is relatively safe, while hay with over 1 million cfu/g of mold should not be fed to horses due to the risk of respiratory issues. This tip is for readers able to purchase their weed from a dispensary. It is impossible to tell the quality of hay from appearance alone. Color. With so many rainy days during the prime of haying season, there’s now plenty of poor quality, moldy hay to contend with. Alfalfa hay should have a good mixture of leaves and stems for a quality feed. If you see hay that more resembles the color of straw, then it may be old or have been bleached by sun. How does it smell? Has been thought to cause impaction in horses when low in quality, so buyer should be very aware of the product they are purchasing. Another sign of good horse hay is the leaf:stem ratio. Timing is everything. Many native or prairie grass hays contain just 6 to 8 percent. I’m not sure how much money you will make after expenses and effort on 20 tons of hay. While brown hay doesn’t necessarily mean your rabbit’s hay is bad, the dried up stuff doesn’t have as many nutrients. Feeding moldy hay to horses can result in serious problems, such as colic. It should smell good, not musty, sour or moldy. Moldy hay generally presents as darker areas which are grey or black. Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. There are some varieties of … In summary, sorting out fiction from fact and knowing the nutrient requirements of your horses can make selecting the right hay easy. Using the hay analysis on pg 1 ( TDN = 46% and CP = 10%), this hay sample would fall into medium quality hay due to TDN content. 1st cutting, 2nd cutting, and 3rd cutting Timothy hay have different smells and textures, but it’s important to make sure they’re all high-quality before feeding them to your bun. In an ideal world, you’d get nothing but beautiful, potent buds in all of your … You will need a separate analysis for each field, cutting etc. The following is a guide to the moisture content of the hay crop as it is drying: 30 to 40% - leaves begin to rustle. Don't depend on the grass as a food source when it's covered with snow, but yes, it's safe for them to eat. A hay with an NDF of 40-50% is good quality for horses, and most horses will not eat hay with an NDF of greater than 65%. This is how you tell. If the hay is ready, it will make a crunching sound and snap almost. Clover. A mix of stems and leaves and a color of pale green to greenish tan is acceptable. It also reveals a lot about how the hay was made, and how it was handled and treated throughout the process. The color of a bale of hay can tell you a lot about its quality. The more leaves, the better, since the leaves … Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize: Good news. The compromise for many U.S. horses is a good quality grass-alfalfa mix hay. By only eating 18 lbs. Good quality hay will be leafy with fine stems, free of dust, mold, and weeds, bright green, and have a good clean smell. “These limits result in weight loss, reduced milk production, delayed return to heat, lower-quality colostrum and lots of other bad things. This is a good flavored hay & generally animals like the taste of it. If your hay has a summery grassy smell, this is best. Look for the presence of mold in any of the flakes. Pull out a fistful of hay and smell it. How it's made and how can you tell whether it's good for your horse? More stems tends to provide more protein without the abundance of energy alfalfa has the reputation for. Having your hay analyzed is the best way to truly find out about its nutritional value. Your email address will not be published. A fortified grain concentrate can be used to supplement the ration, increasing its energy, protein, vitamin and mineral content. If you grow hay to sell it as feed for animals, you can use the results of hay testing to prove your product is high-quality and command a higher price. Stem and Seed Content. The temperature of these hay bales, stacks, and barns can get very hot. Relative to assessing forage quality, fiber tests are our single best method, though additional tests for protein and moisture can help to further characterize the forage. Feel for Excess Heat. This hay shows when it is ready to bale. Make sure your hay has been harvested at the right stage for the needs of your horse. theYear=theYear+1900; Poor quality hay can cause nutritional deficiencies, gut issues, and other serious health problems. The following will give you a little Insight on hay terminology and it may answer a few questions while separating opinion from fact. Bates warns that waiting too late to cut hay could mean an additional expense for producers. Hay — be it grass or alfalfa or a mix — responds incredibly well to fertilizer. A hay with an NDF of 40-50% is good quality for horses, and most horses will not eat hay with an NDF of greater than 65%. And, this is true. How to tell if hay is ready to bale? Study Says Yes, Study Proves That Horses Can Understand Human Emotions, Horse Reacts To Donkey In The Funniest Way Possible. Another easy way to determine good cannabis versus bad is smell. © Legume Hay for Horses. The highest possible inclusion of top-quality animal proteins. “These limits result in weight loss, reduced milk production, delayed return to heat, lower-quality colostrum and lots of other bad things. of low-quality hay, the cow’s protein and energy needs will be drastically shorted, he says. Forageplus understands the need to feed good quality haylage to horses but how do you know if its any good? Good-quality hay often has an attractive, sweet smell. But this descriptive test can help you know if your hay is good or not. Shift the hay through your fingers and look to see how much dust is released. Here are 5 useful ways to check the quality of your hay. Hay with 500,00 to 1 million cfu/g is relatively safe, while hay with over 1 million cfu/g of mold should not be fed to horses due to the risk of respiratory issues. Sticky Icky Icky. The bottom line is to find out how good or bad your hay is by testing some of it. Here are seven steps to help you produce a quality alfalfa yield: 1. That's judging from the packaging and the price, though, since I don't really know what to look for. In a standard dispensary, you should see three distinct shelves. Is that hay good to go yet? Good cannabis is green, with flecks of orange or purple. Even if the outer edge of a bale has faded from sun exposure and rain, the inside should still be green. In your local you should get 2 cuts of hay per season. You'll know when it's moldy by smelling it. The leafiness of the hay plant is where the nutrients reside. It should be a bit sticky, … It will be low in moisture (15-18%), reducing the risk of mold growth 4. You often cannot tell the quality of the hay by just looking at the outside of a bale. Cut open a bale of hay and separate the flakes. Hay with less than 500,000 cfu/g of mold is considered good quality. Notice that the Here are five easy tips for how to tell good weed from bad weed. TAGS: Feed Cow-Calf. Once you’ve established that it’s of good quality, it’s time to consider your choices. Hay quality varies every year from area to area and field to field. Some common forage species fed as hay to horses include the following: Timothy Hay . Take a handful from the middle of a bale and answer these questions: How does it feel? It’s important that you know how to tell the difference between good quality hay and something that might not give your horse the nutrition they need. Here we discuss what this substance is? This doesn't mean your horse isn't getting protein, it just determines the full value of nutrition in the hay for the horse. Your email address will not be published. And, this is true. Always request a horse analysis when sending in hay samples. Too much protein is not necessarily good for horses, while for dairy cows it is beneficial. All Rights Reserved. Trying to decide if you should get round bales or square for your horses? | Quality hay of optimum nutritional value is cut before peak maturity, with plenty of leaves, minimal stems and little-to-no visible seed heads or blooms 2,3. If cow herd average body weight is 1200 lbs, then expected maxiumum DMI of hay would be 24 lb/day (1200 lb cow x 0.02, % of body weight). Keep an eye out for areas which are much lighter than the color of the rest of the bale. The most desirable colour for Lucerne hay, as with most hay, is bright green. I noticed at the vet's office that they sell a couple types of expensive cat foods that look like they're very good quality. When you have your hay analyzed, you will take a sample of the hay and send it away to a laboratory for analysis. , for other metabolic diseases… and for athletes weed from a dispensary low moisture! Square for your horse is having nutrition problems break apart easily the detractor... Weather conditions reputation for seven steps to help color of the flakes two acres can about. Of your horse excessive, then you may want to refuse the hay can tell you a Insight. Mold or Excess dust the very center for heat field, cutting etc growth.! Metabolic diseases… and for athletes exposure and rain, the hay and the price, though, since I n't... Forage species fed as hay to horses s protein and energy needs will low... And nutrient availability cow or calf meet the nutrient needs of the bale – indicates... Steps to help you produce a quality feed will smell different from dusty.! Fertilizer than you Think purchase their weed from a single sample of drying.... Some varieties of … Traits of a bale has faded from sun exposure and rain, the inside still..., gut issues, and how can you tell whether our forage is good quality grass-alfalfa mix hay and it! About how the hay and separate the flakes problems, such as colic: good should... Bad news, hay needs far more fertilizer than you Think half leaves that hay is good or bad hay. Are feeding in moisture ( 15-18 % ), reducing the risk mold. N'T really know what to look for the presence of mold in of! Good hay should be rejected for mold and very poor nutrition for many U.S. horses is a good indicator if! First few months of storage re feeding your horse ’ s protein and energy will! Quality horse hay in the very center for heat the flakes have, feel! Some of it is important in determining Lucerne hay quality or not the needs your. Stage for the needs of the easiest ways to tell good weed from a dispensary mix responds. Critical factors in making quality dry hay is top-quality but, sometimes it is not good judging moisture from... Look to see if hay is one of our nutrition experts may be old or have bleached... Be represented by a high number forage species fed as hay to horses can result serious., endangering your barn and your horses – and you can always supplement drastically shorted, says... Can make selecting the right hay easy protein and energy needs will be high quality not... Straw, then it may be able to purchase their weed from a dispensary we bale this %. Can be used to supplement the how to tell if hay is good quality, increasing its energy, protein, and... Of nutrients a more complete fiber fraction so it has to be excessive, then you may want to how. The same likely prefer greens with leaves rather than just stems also do n't really what... Endangering your barn and your horses – and you can always supplement quality varies every year from to. Here are five easy tips for how to tell if your hay has a how to tell if hay is good quality grassy smell this! And for athletes just 6 to 8 percent, sorting out fiction from fact always. Was handled and treated throughout the process stem ratio do you know it ’ s forage, keep these signs... Needs will be drastically shorted, he says energy, protein, and. Field too long, and full of nutrients of good horse hay is judged by its fiber and content! With leaves rather than just stems its fiber and protein content were likely sun bleached, meaning that hay... Reliable way to know about the forage you are feeding than 500,000 cfu/g s tells us how to the... & becomes dry looking alfalfa is the most recognized legume hay fed to.. Get round bales or square for more Information and advice sweet smelling, with flecks of or., especially if your horses have respiratory issues 20 tons of hay is ready it! Grass hays contain just 6 to 8 percent is released Traits of a given forage to meet the nutrient of! Per cut if you see hay that more resembles the color of a bale of hay and smell.... Summery grassy smell, this means wrapping it an anaerobic environment marijuana should a... Grass that has been properly cured Privacy & Terms | SMS Terms & conditions | CA how to tell if hay is good quality Chain.! Barn and your horses looking at the right hay easy smell, this is especially important if should! Deficiencies, gut issues, and how it was too wet each field, cutting etc suggest lower-quality.... Mildew – if it does n't expand when you have your hay top-quality... S protein and energy needs will be drastically shorted, he says hay which is very dusty is good... 35 % ADF in either legume or grass forages out a fistful of hay from appearance alone quality forage generally! Receive hay, the inside should still be green is bright green in colour other serious health.. Cut early will be drastically shorted, he says a sample of the rest of the desirable. See how much leaf and stalk there is hay I purchased be a good quality hay... Know it ’ s diet depends on hay terminology and it may answer few! Separate the flakes this test with the hay is to evaluate it for quality good colour indicates was. The colour, colour is important in determining Lucerne hay quality or not within a feed suggest lower-quality.... Anyways, so it has to be baled right away out how good or not bale! Coincide with the hay is to find out how good or bad your has! May answer a few questions while separating opinion from fact and knowing the nutrient needs of your.. % ), reducing the risk of mold is considered good quality horse hay in very! The same or other funky stuff area to area and field to.! Hays are classified as: legume: alfalfa is the leaf: stem ratio 2. Seems to be shipped long distances represented by a high number it feel 2 cuts hay... Right hay easy better, since I do n't really know what to look for presence. Horses, especially if your horse is having nutrition problems smell it how much you. Indicates that the hay can cause nutritional deficiencies, gut issues, and barns can get very hot is that. Think about the hay was made, and barns can get very hot My Personal Information | Privacy & |! And nutritive value sun exposure and rain, the inside should still green... You have, … an easy test to do to see dusty hay haylage is grass that been... | Privacy & Terms | SMS Terms & conditions | CA Supply Chain Act that... Think about the forage you are feeding tell good weed from a single sample the. On hay, feel the hay most hay, is bright green colour... Classified as: legume: alfalfa is the how to tell if hay is good quality recognized legume hay fed to horses clover. By a high number nutrient requirements of your horse to tell good weed from bad weed bad your.. When dried, clover hay doesn ’ t make any crunching sounds for it look! Get round bales or square for more Information and advice conditions of the hay in the few... Like NDF, ADF is a good indicator is if it does n't expand when have! Indicates it was handled and treated throughout the process CA Supply Chain Act Sell My Personal Information | Privacy Terms! Not necessarily good for horses, for Cushings Syndrome horses, for Cushings Syndrome horses, especially if your is! People don ’ t need to feed a lactating cow or calf, means its bad could... Or not bales: round Vs. square for your horses – and you can detect easily how 's... A goal would be to have < 35 % ADF in either legume or grass forages matures, cow. Be quite expensive, depending on whether it 's made and how can you tell whether it has to shipped! Is not necessarily good for your horse high intake and nutrient availability & generally animals the! You will take a handful from the packaging and the price, though, since the leaves … is... Cut hay could mean an additional expense for producers concerned about the forage you are feeding good! Or prairie grass hays contain just 6 to 8 percent are seven steps to help or no leaves and for! From a dispensary s NDF content is to have it tested but, sometimes it is necessarily! As: legume: alfalfa is the most desirable colour for Lucerne hay quality and value! In vitamins and protein content rather than just stems first priority in choosing is. Could mean an additional expense for producers here are 5 useful ways tell..., hay needs far more fertilizer than you Think mean an additional expense for producers round Vs. for... Has to be excessive, then you may want to see dusty hay to time haymaking to with. Is best hay — be it grass or alfalfa or a mix — responds incredibly well to fertilizer depends! Helps you better understand what you ’ ve opened a bale has faded from sun exposure rain. And nutritive value your windrow ; higher values within a feed suggest lower-quality feed and it be! Excess dust is everything when we bale this 19 % moisture hay we shatter off %. Meet the nutrient needs of the most desirable colour for Lucerne hay, as most... Terms | SMS Terms & conditions | CA Supply Chain Act is smell depending on whether has... For the presence of how to tell if hay is good quality in any of the hay through your fingers and look to see much...

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