Part II: Conserving ForagePart II: Conserving Forage

Dennis Hancock

Extension Forage Agronomist

Crop and Soil Sciences

Dennis Hancock

Extension Forage Agronomist

Crop and Soil Sciences

Drought Risk Management PlanDrought Risk Management Plan

• Cull following a priority list

• Have an emergency forage base

• Don’t depend on hay stocks

• Supplement to stretch hay

Cost Per Ton Of HayBreakeven Cost: $60.38

$20.17

$1.33

$7.50

$2.17

$18.81

$10.40Fertilizer and Lime HerbicideMachinery LaborInterest Fixed Cost

Components of Hay Losses:

Field curing

Harvesting

Storage

Feeding

StorageStorage20-45% loss20-45% loss

HarvestingHarvesting7-15% loss 7-15% loss

FeedingFeeding10-30% loss10-30% loss

Field curingField curing10-25% loss10-25% loss

It’s not unusual to see total It’s not unusual to see total losses of 70% or greaterlosses of 70% or greater

LOSS ACCUMULATE LOSS ACCUMULATE WITH EACH STEPWITH EACH STEP

StorageStorage20-45% loss20-45% loss

HarvestingHarvesting7-15% loss 7-15% loss

FeedingFeeding10-30% loss10-30% loss

Field curingField curing10-25% loss10-25% loss

Breakeven Market

Value ($/dry ton) $60 $130

Loss (%) 70 70

Cost ($42) ($91)

The True Cost of Making Hay

The True Cost of Storage and Feeding Losses

The True Cost of Storage and Feeding Losses

About 3 billion dollars of hay is lost per year from storage and feeding in the

U.S.

(37.5 million tons)

Storage Weathered DMMethod Depth Loss (in.) (%)

Twine 4.4 18.2Netwrap 2.1 10.6Solid plastic 0.6 3.6Shed <0.5 5.7

Hay Storage Research(Kentucky)

Storage LossesStorage Losses

Source: Forage Crop Pocket Guide

Can I afford to build a barn?Can I afford to build a barn?

Source: Forage Crop Pocket Guide

Feeding LossesFeeding Losses

Method 1 day 7 day

---- % Waste----

Unrolled 12.3 43.0

Ring 4.9 5.4

The True Cost of Storage and Feeding Losses

The True Cost of Storage and Feeding Losses

Breakeven Market

Value ($/dry ton) $60 $130

Storage and Feeding Losses (%)

40 40

Cost ($/dry ton) ($24) ($52)

Cost ($/1000 lb bale)

($10.20) ($22.10)

If it has to be outside…If it has to be outside…

• Store bales with N/S orientation• Don’t store under trees• Make dense bales

Shed water better

• Elevate the bales

• Store bales with N/S orientation• Don’t store under trees• Make dense bales

Shed water better

• Elevate the bales

Every little bit helps!

Tarped StacksHay ShedsHoop Structures

Storage Options

Hoop Structures for Hay Storage

Hoop Structures for Hay Storage

Adjustable tension to keep cover tight

Hoop Structures for Hay Storage

Cost:

Package (hoops, cover) $6,000-7,000

Posts, concrete, lumber, gravel, labor = $1,000-3,000

Total Materials Cost = ~ $7,500 - 10,000

250-300 bales

Assuming 10-year structure life

(prorated 16-year warranty on cover)

$10,000/10 yr = $1000 per year

$1000/300 bales = $3.00 per bale

Tarped StacksHay ShedsHoop Structures

Storage Options

$1.50 – 2.50$1.50 – 2.50

$2.00 – 3.00

$3.50+

Long-term Hay StorageLong-term Hay Storage

• DM Loss (Undercover) 5% 1st year, little thereafter

• Net wrap or plastic sleeves 5-8% 1st yr, 2-5% ea yr

• Twine on the ground Don’t even think about it!

• Vitamin A content of old hay

• DM Loss (Undercover) 5% 1st year, little thereafter

• Net wrap or plastic sleeves 5-8% 1st yr, 2-5% ea yr

• Twine on the ground Don’t even think about it!

• Vitamin A content of old hay

By-products• Viable option when hay is > ~$80/ton

• Must be purchased in bulk loads

• Storage – under shelter, grain bins, gravity flow wagons

• Most cases – need a feed trough

• Feeding (other than a shovel) is the biggest obstacle for most people

Comparison of Relative Energy Values

Maintenance energy

Corn 1.00 Hay 0.50-0.70 Cottonseed 1.00

Soybean hulls .88

Corn gluten feed .88

Distillers grains .99

Choices of By-ProductsChoices of By-Products

1. Soybean hulls Low starch, moderate protein, high intake Bloat

2. Corn gluten feed Low starch, high protein (good complement to low

quality hay) Limit to 25% of diet, high sulfur, low Ca:P

3. Whole cottonseed High energy (fat) and protein Limit to 0.5% of diet

1. Soybean hulls Low starch, moderate protein, high intake Bloat

2. Corn gluten feed Low starch, high protein (good complement to low

quality hay) Limit to 25% of diet, high sulfur, low Ca:P

3. Whole cottonseed High energy (fat) and protein Limit to 0.5% of diet

What about distiller’s grains?What about distiller’s grains?

• Fairly comparable to corn gluten feed Probably will need to limit to less than 20%

• Big difference between wet and dried DGs Dried: Energy expense = added cost

Storage needed Wet: Transportation expense = added cost

Storage needed Perishable product High feed-out rate

• Fairly comparable to corn gluten feed Probably will need to limit to less than 20%

• Big difference between wet and dried DGs Dried: Energy expense = added cost

Storage needed Wet: Transportation expense = added cost

Storage needed Perishable product High feed-out rate

Stretching Hay with By-ProductsStretching Hay with By-Products

• In general, by-products are great ways to stretch short hay stocks. 1 lb of feed replaces about 1.5 to 2

lbs of hay

• Again, feeding (Supplements, TMRs, or Hay) is almost always more expensive than grazing.

• In general, by-products are great ways to stretch short hay stocks. 1 lb of feed replaces about 1.5 to 2

lbs of hay

• Again, feeding (Supplements, TMRs, or Hay) is almost always more expensive than grazing.

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

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