how to produce horse quality hay - for your information · 2017-06-28 · how to produce horse...

How to Produce Horse

Quality HayMarch, 2007

Craig SaxeUW-Extension, Juneau Co.211 Hickory StreetMauston WI 53948(608) 847-9329E-mail: [email protected]

The Take Home Message:

Know Your Market

Horse Owners Definition of Good Hay:

• Hay must be green

• Should be no dust or mold

• Must be fine stems and lots of leaves

• Can be no weeds

• Must not have been rained on

• Others?

Hay Score Card

I. Stage of Harvest Possible Score

Before blossom or heading 26-30

Early blossom or heading 21-25

Mid- to Late-bloom or head 16-20

Seed stage (stemmy) 11-15

Hay Score Card

II. Leafiness Possible Score

Very Leafy 26-30

Leafy 21-25

Slightly Stemmy 16-20

Stemmy 0-6

Hay Score Card

III. Color Possible Score

Natural green color of crop 13-15

Light green 10-12

Yellow to slightly brownish 7-9

Brown or black 0-6

Hay Score Card

IV. Odor Possible Score

Clean – “crop odor” 13-15

Dusty 10-12

Moldy – mousey or musty 7-9

Burnt 0-6

Hay Score Card

V. Softness Possible Score

Very Soft and pliable 9-10

Soft 7-8

Slightly harsh 5-6

Harsh, brittle 0-4

Hay Score Card

VI. Penalties Possible Score

Trash, weeds, dirt, etc. Subtract 0-35

Preferred Size and Shape of Hay

• Small rectangular bales• Large rectangular bales• Large round bales• Cubes• Pellets• Haylage/Silage

Horse Requirements

Horse Status Digest. Energy Needed

Working Light 20.5 mcal

Maintenance 16.4 mcal

Working Intense 32.8 mcal

Mare Lactating 28.3 mcal

2 year old in training 26.3 mcal

*Nutrient Research Council Standards

Digestible Energy AvailableDigestible Energy Available

Feed Mcal/lb.

Alfalfa .94

Bromegrass .80

Orchardgrass .85

Straw .70

Oats 1.3

Corn 1.5

Digestible Energy AvailableDigestible Energy Available

Feed Mcal/lb.

Alfalfa:

Early Vegetative 1.32

Late Vegetative 1.26

Early Bloom 1.20

Mid Bloom 1.16

Full Bloom 1.10

Source; Understanding Forage Quality

Grass-Legume Mixtures

• Presently over 80% of alfalfa grown in New

York State is grown with a companion crop,

Wisconsin is probably closer to? (20%).

• At one time grass-legume mixtures were the

norm

• Herbicides and adoption of NIR testing using

NDF and ADF reduced grass-legume mixtures

• Grasses don’t always reduce quality and yield

Why Mix Grasses with Legumes

• More rapid hay drying

• Higher yield potential

• Less weed encroachment

• Insurance against legume winterkill

• Helps to fill in areas of field that are not suited for legumes

• Greater traffic tolerance

• Greater response to manure

Forage Quality of Alfalfa Grass Mixes

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80%

ofC

ompo

nent

(DM

basi

s)

63 63 73 93Percent Legume

NDFNDFD

Higher NDF with grass

But higher NDFD

*Undersander

Forage Quality of Alfalfa Grass Mixes

0

50

100

150

200

250R

FV o

r R

FQ V

alue

63 63 73 93

Percent Legume

RFVRFQ

*Undersander

Yield of alfalfa-grass mixtures in 2006

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Arlinigton Marshfield Spooner

alfalfa A + OGEA + OGLA+ PRA+ Tim

SeedingSite Year Arlington 2005Marshfield 2004Spooner 2003

Including grass had no effect on total season yield

*Undersander

First cutting RFQ change

100110120130140150160170180190200

Early Medium Late

Harvest Maturity

RFQ


*Undersander

Second cutting RFQ change

100

110

120

130

140

150

Early Medium Late

Harvest Maturity

RFQ


*Undersander

Third cutting RFQ change

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

Early Medium Late

Harvest Maturity

RFQ


*Undersander

Fourth cutting RFQ change

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

Early Medium Late

Harvest Maturity

RFQ


*Undersander

Issues with grass• There’s great variation among grass species,

thus it’s difficult to make general statements about grasses– Re-growth characteristics, seasonal

distribution, response to cutting and fiber digestibility all vary

• Have been limited feeding studies in the USA• Best suggestion is probably to consider some

on-farm research and experiment with grasses on a small scale on your own farm

Getting Top Yield

and Quality

Maintain Proper Soil pH and Fertility

• Proper fertilization:

– Allows for good stand establishment

– Promotes growth

– Increases yield and quality

– Improves winter hardiness and stand persistence

– Improves ability to compete with weeds

– Strengthens disease and insect resistance

Soil pH and Fertility

• Have soils tested

• For Alfalfa lime fields to at least

pH 6.7-6.9

• Apply lime at least 12 months before

seeding

First-cutting alfalfa yield relative to soil pH

Pounds of nutrients removed per ton of alfalfa produced

Nutrient Dry Matter Removed (lbs/ton)

Phosphate (P205) 14Potash (K2O) 58Calcium (Ca) 30Magnesium (Mg) 6Sulfur (S) 6Boron (B) 0.08

Select the Best Varieties

• Cheap seed does not pay

• Look over University Trials

• Compare new varieties with ones

you’ve grown

• Select high-yielding varieties with

adequate winter survival and disease

resistance.

Forage Yield Relative to Quality

Yield is the most important component of profitability

• Fixed costs same regardless of yield– e.g. taxes, land costs, machinery

depreciation• Production costs similar• Harvesting costs similar

– Slightly higher for extra fuel and labor to harvest higher yield and haul to barn

Alfalfa Yield and Dollar Return from Wisconsin Green-Gold Program

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

2 4 6 8

Yield (t/a)

Dol

lar

Ret

urn

per

acre Profitability

increases with yield because fixed inputs remain constant and variable inputs increase only slightly as yield increases.

Yield of alfalfa as Stand Ages (% of 2nd year)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1(seedyr)

2 3 4 5 6 7

Age of Stand (Years)

Yiel

d (%

of 2

nd Y

ear)

4th year11% decline

5th year27% decline

*Undersander

Good Hay Making Practices:

Reason Benefit

Allow full day’s drying

• Faster drop in moisture• Less respiration loss• Less likelihood of rain damage

1. Mow Forage Early in Day


Reason Benefit

Increase drying rate

• Faster drop in moisture• Less respiration loss• Less likelihood of rain damage• Higher quantity and quality

2. Form into Wide Swath


Reason Benefit

Increase drying rate

• Faster drop in moisture• Less respiration loss• Less likelihood of rain damage• Less leaf shatter • Higher quantity and quality

3. Rake at 40-50% Moisture Content


Reason Benefit

Optimize preservation

• Less leaf shatter• Inhibits molds and browning• Low chance of fire• Higher quantity and quality

4. Bale Hay at 18-20% Moisture Content


Reason Benefit

Protect from rain, sun

• Inhibits molds and browning• Less loss from rain damage• Higher quantity and quality

5. Store Hay Under Cover

Hay Storage

• If not considering cost, under roof is

the best option

• If outside, cover with tarps and get off

soil by placing on pad, crushed rock or?

Forage Web Page

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/teamforage/index.html

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cwas/

how to produce horse quality hay - for your information · 2017-06-28 · how to produce horse...

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