How to produce high quality hay I:

Forage species, harvest timing, and forage quality

How to produce high quality hay I:

Forage species, harvest timing, and forage quality

Dennis Hancock, PhD.Extension Forage Specialist

UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

Dennis Hancock, PhD.Extension Forage Specialist

UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

What is the difference?What is the difference?

What is the difference?What is the difference?

1) Digestible energy2) How much can be eaten1) Digestible energy2) How much can be eaten

How do we get enough energy in the animal?

How do we get enough energy in the animal?

• The animal eats more forage. What is the physical limit? Can a cow eat enough straw to meet her

energy needs?

• What forage the animal eats must be high in energy. High digestibility -> High energy

• Bottomline: Every bite has to count!

• The animal eats more forage. What is the physical limit? Can a cow eat enough straw to meet her

energy needs?

• What forage the animal eats must be high in energy. High digestibility -> High energy

• Bottomline: Every bite has to count!

What is “high quality forage?”

What is “high quality forage?”

Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)75 100 125 150 175 200 225

• Heifer, 18-24 mo.• Dry cow• Mature horse, lt. work

• Heifer, 12-18 mo.• Lactating beef cow• Lactating mare• Mature horse, mod. work

• Dairy, last 200 days• Heifer, 3-12 mo.• Stocker cattle• Weanling horse• Mature horse, int. work

• Dairy, 1st 120 days• Dairy calf

Qu

ality

Req

uir

ed

Typical Range in Quality of

Common Forages

Typical Range in Quality of

Common Forages

Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)

Summer Annual Grass

Bermudagrass

Cool Season Peren. Grasses

Other Legumes

Alfalfa

75 100 125 150 175 200 225

Cool Season Annual Grasses

Qu

ality

Pro

vid

ed

What Affects Forage Quality?What Affects Forage Quality?

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

The Paradox of Forage Quality and Quantity

Days of Growth

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

For

age

Mas

s(d

ry lb

s/a

cre

)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000Growth Curve

Digestibility & Palatability

Bermudagrass Harvest Interval: Effects on Protein

and Digestibility

McCollough and Burton., 1962DMI 11.9, 8.8, 9.5 lbsADG 1.2, .9, 0 lbs

Perc

en

t, %

Bermudagrass Harvest Interval: Effects on Yield and

Protein

Bermudagrass Harvest Interval: Effects on Yield and

Protein

Hoveland et al., 1971

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Typical Range in Quality of

Common Forages

Typical Range in Quality of

Common Forages

Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)

Summer Annual Grass

Bermudagrass

Cool Season Peren. Grasses

Other Legumes

Alfalfa

75 100 125 150 175 200 225

Cool Season Annual Grasses

Qu

ality

Pro

vid

ed

Quality Differences in the Major Forage Species

Quality Differences in the Major Forage Species

40

50

60

70

80

Dig

estib

le D

M, %

Trop

ical Annual

Grasses

Cool S

eason P

erennial

G

rasses

Cool S

eason A

nnual G

rasses

Leg

um

es

Trop

ical Peren

nial

Grasses

Maint.

Mod. Production

High Production

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Crop Moisture Lessens Rain Damage on Bermudagrass

Crop Moisture Lessens Rain Damage on Bermudagrass

ND

F,

%

Rainfall, in.Scarbrough et al., 2005

76% Moisture, Not Significant.

40% Moisture

13% Moisture

The Effect of Rain on Tall Fescue Hay

The Effect of Rain on Tall Fescue Hay

Turner et al., 2003

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Yield and Digestibility of Bermudagrass Hybrids

Yield and Digestibility of Bermudagrass Hybrids

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Effect of N Rates on Bermudagrass CP &

Digestibility

Effect of N Rates on Bermudagrass CP &

Digestibility

Burton et al.

Does fertility or harvest timing affect quality more?-

Digestibility

(3.8 X as much N)

Colovos et al. 1961Bromegrass

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality

Factor Recommendation

Plant Maturity Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in the boot or early head stage.

Forage Species Use the highest-quality grass species that will persist in your environment.

Bale Storage Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)

Rain During Curing

Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is predicted during curing.

Moisture at Baling

Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture (Round: 15%; Square: 18%)

Variety Use varieties that have proven to be higher in quality.

Fertilization Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations

Proper Maturity is the KEY!Proper Maturity is the KEY!

• Harvesting hay at the proper maturity is the only way to potentially bale high quality hay!

• Fertilizer drives yield.

• Economics should drive fertilization strategies, not quality goals.

• Harvesting hay at the proper maturity is the only way to potentially bale high quality hay!

• Fertilizer drives yield.

• Economics should drive fertilization strategies, not quality goals.

Harvest Timing Recommendations

Harvest Timing Recommendations

•Hybrid Bermudagrass- 1st cut at 12-16 inches- Subsequent cuttings at 3.5-5 week intervals

•Tall fescue, ryegrass, orchardgrass, etc.

- Spring cut at early flower stage - Mid to late boot stage for higher quality - Subsequent cuttings at 10-12 inches (better

quality)

•Alfalfa- Spring cut at when 10-20% of plants are

blooming- Cut at late bud – 10% bloom stage

•Hybrid Bermudagrass- 1st cut at 12-16 inches- Subsequent cuttings at 3.5-5 week intervals

•Tall fescue, ryegrass, orchardgrass, etc.

- Spring cut at early flower stage - Mid to late boot stage for higher quality - Subsequent cuttings at 10-12 inches (better

quality)

•Alfalfa- Spring cut at when 10-20% of plants are

blooming- Cut at late bud – 10% bloom stage

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