08/16/2024
I was scrolling through some of my previous posts when I came across this article that I wrote about two years ago. I started thinking that maybe it is worth reposting a second time. I hope it is somewhat informative and that you take away a little something from it that helps you when looking for / buying quality hay for your livestock. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment and a “like” if it helps….
Let’s talk about buying hay from the consumers point-of-view.
Because of the (increasing) inflation rate, I have been asked questions on what to look for in the quality of hay. Let me take a minute and try to help explain some of the important things that you should look for. This is in no way meant to degrade, insult or belittle any buyer or hay producer….it’s just honest information meant to help buyers know what to look for in hay quality for the money they are spending.
Let’s start with the hay producer.
There are all kinds of hay producers….from the large scale operations that make their entire living in the hay industry…all the way down to the farmer who just has a few extra acres he uses to put a little extra Christmas under the tree at the end of the year.
Each of these producers have three essential rules they live by….
1)- make a profit at the end of the season
2)- keep customers coming back.
3)- revert back to rule #1
These three go hand-in-hand….producers can’t have one without the others. Take just one of these away and their business will fail. Because of this, most hay producers take pride in what they sell. They depend on their reputation to stay in business. But with that, know that not all hay producers are equal in their endeavors. Due to input costs, sometimes corners are cut. This is just a fact-of-life in farming. We can’t control the market, the cost of inputs (fuel / chemicals/ fertilizer) and we sure don’t have the ability to control the weather.
Reputations are extremely important for a hay producer’s success. When looking for a producer to buy from, ask other buyers you know who they are getting their hay from. Are they satisfied with what they are buying? How are they treated by the producer? What kind of reputation does the producer have? Is he/she honest about their hay? Is his/her business known in the industry? Do they stand by what they sell? Never be shy about asking a hay producer questions about what he/she is selling. It’s your money….spend it wisely.
Types of Hay…and the quality of it.
There are many different types of hay on the market…..cool season or warm season grasses, legumes, mixed…and then, all the different varieties of each. The list is endless, depending on the producer and location. Not all haying conditions / locations produce the same quality. Different seasons produce different qualities….such as, late summer / early fall hay will not have the same nutritional value as early spring hay. Ask what cutting the hay comes from (1st, 2nd, 3rd cutting). A wet season verses a dry season can make a major difference in the hay quality.
Don’t overlook the different types of hay. Alfalfa vs Clover…..Orchardgrass vs Fescue…Timothy vs Teff. All of these are good quality hay types if harvested correctly….but does it meet your animal’s nutritional needs? What is the TDN, protein content, starch quantity, etc. of the hay? Was the hay baled at 14%-16% moisture…or was it treated with a preservative due to higher moisture content, was the fields sprayed with herbicide early in the season to prevent w**d growth, was it fertilized just once in the spring…or was the fertilization program spread out throughout the season after each cutting?…has it been rained on after cutting? All these factors can / will affect the quality.
Hay Storage…Before / After Buying
When buying hay, it is very important to know how the hay has been stored…and then, how you will store it when you get it home. If hay is stored on the ground, it will naturally absorb any moisture it comes in contact with. Even dry ground can cause hay to spoil / mold simply due to insulating the moisture of the hay itself. Hay needs to breath….not as we do…but it needs air to flow around and through it. Storing hay on plastic or on gravel only eliminates the ash (dirt) content and does nothing to prevent spoilage. The bottom bales can still be wet and sour when stored on plastic or gravel. We have found that wooden pallets work best in our operation. This allows air movement under the hay to wick away any moisture after storage by keeping the hay off the ground.
Hay will go through a “sweat” stage after harvesting in most cases, so it needs to be able to release that moisture naturally. Closed up / confined spaces will slow or prevent this from occurring. Allow storage areas to be ventilated in order to access air flow. Quality hay (stored inside) will be very obvious simply by using your nose. It should give off a “sweet” aroma. This comes from the sugar / starch content in it. If it doesn’t smell good…..it probably ain’t good.
Now lastly……the color. This is “NOT” always a sign of poor quality hay. A tannish color is called “bleaching”. Contrary to popular belief, the sun does not fade out the color of hay. In most cases, bleaching is caused by air moisture (dew). When hay has been tedded-or-flipped before baling, this is done to help dry and cure it. Depending on the weather and time of year, this can also allow the dew to get on more of the leaves, thus causing bleaching. That alone will NOT rob enough nutrients from the plant to make a difference. Rain however, will. As little as 1/4 - 1/2 inch of rain on hay that has been cut for 24-48 hours will lessen the quality and give the hay an undesirable brownish color…or in the worse case, a heavy rain can give it a blackened tent (in color) if it is not dried quickly by tedding (flipping) it over….along with lots of sun / breeze. Remember me talking earlier about the sweet smell of good hay?….this is when that trick really works in your favor. Bleached hay that is a good quality will still have that sweet smell…so let your nose tell you how good the hay is.
The only exception to this rule is for late season hay. When the starches in the plant naturally decrease in preparation for winter dormancy, the sweet smell won’t be as predominant.
These are a few tips to consider when buying hay. I hope this was helpful and gives you a better understanding on how to make a more informed decision. Feel free to send us a comment or email us if there is anything you may have questions about. Our email is listed at the top of our FB page.
We are Commonwealth Farms. We are located just 4 miles north of Princeton (KY) off of I-69. We specialize in raising quality orchard grass hay in both small (two string) square bales and 4x5 round bales. We are a proud member of the National Hay Association.
