Grazing School

Workshops

Research

Faculty

News

Weather

Contact us

Superintendent
David Davis
21262 Genoa Road
Linneus, MO 64653
Phone: 660 895-5121
FAX: 660 895=5122
Email: DavisDK@missouri.edu

Forage Systems Update
Vol 15, No. 2

Hay season is nearly upon us and I want to address a question that I am frequently asked "How do I make quality fescue hay?" First of all we must realize that hay making is a tool used in rotational grazing systems to help stage pastures that get out of control early in the grazing season. We should all strive to produce just enough hay to get through the winter (a little extra hay on hand is not a bad idea for insurance), utilizing pasture growth for its intended purpose--grazing. Hay making is expensive, and this year it will cost more due to increased fertilizer and fuel prices.

It has been my experience that most of the tall fescue hay made in Missouri is harvested too late to make good quality hay. Delaying harvest beyond the optimum window for making quality hay decreases crude protein % and TDN, and increases fiber (ADF and NDF), but this delay will also lead to larger yields. A compromise between yield and quality needs to be reached. The compromise you make will be determined by the nutritional needs of the livestock you will be feeding and the quality and quantity of hay you determine you will need.

Tall fescue produces approximately 70% of its growth for the year between April 1 and June 15 in Missouri, the remainder is produced in the summer and fall. For fescue hay, the proper (desired) time to harvest is at late vegetative to early boot stage. In north Missouri this usually occurs in mid- to late-May. Harvesting during this window of opportunity can be a challenge due to our seasonal rainfall patterns, but in general, you will harvest better quality hay at this time than you would if harvest is delayed. Your goal should be to manage for maximum leaf production. Quality will decline rapidly once reproductive growth occurs. As a rule of thumb, most cool season grass forages will experience about a 20% loss in TDN and a 40% loss in CP% by delaying harvest 10 days past the most desirable stage for harvest.

Interseeding legumes is an inexpensive way to increase quality of hay harvested from pastures, and the legumes will produce their own nitrogen. Frost seeding needs to be completed during February and March, but if you did not frost seed this spring you can still get legumes into your pastures if you sow using a no-till drill. Be careful not to place the seed too deep in the soil and sow the seed as early as possible. I would not recommend sowing past May 1 due to increased grass competition for light and water during establishment. I would recommend choosing a legume with good seedling vigor like red clover.

Maximize your opportunity to get the hay cured in a timely fashion by leaving swaths wide when cutting. There are a number of tools available to help promote hay curing. First, if you need to replace an existing mower, I suggest you look into a mower conditioner. Using a mower conditioner can help reduce curing time by cracking stems and abrading the cuticle layer on leafs and stems allowing moisture to escape from the mowed hay more readily. Tedding hay will also reduce drying time, but it requires additional trips across the field. Raking hay a couple of hours before baling can also help by exposing the damp underside of the swath to air movement and sunshine.

Most field losses of dry matter can be reduced if raking and baling are done at the correct moisture content. Field losses can easily exceed 25% from tedding, raking, and baling. A large percentage of the leaves (the most nutritious part of the hay) may be lost. Losses can be reduced by avoiding tedding and raking when the crop is too dry. Tedding should be done only if needed and the crop should be tough to the touch (45% moisture or greater). Raking should be done prior to the moisture content reaching 35%. Raking and tedding below these moisture contents will result in excessive leaf (especially if legumes are present) and dry matter losses. Baling hay at too great a moisture content will also reduce quality. Moisture content at time of baling should not exceed 18% and 22% for large round bales and small square bales, respectively. At these moisture contents spoilage due to mold should not occur and the possibility of hay fires is greatly reduced. Baling hay at moisture contents below these values will lead to additional dry matter losses. If the hay is slightly above these moisture contents, a hay preservative (like propionic acid) can be use to prevent molding and spoilage. We use a microwave oven to check moisture content of hay, but a hand held moisture tester can also be used as long as you calibrate the tester. The hand held moisture testers are fairly accurate within the range of 15% to 40% moisture. Detailed information on using a microwave oven to determine moisture in forages can be found on the internet at: http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/dairy/g03151.htm . Briefly, swaths or windrows need to be sampled from several locations in the field to get a representative sample of the hay. The moisture content determination requires weighing a wet forage sample then drying it in a microwave oven to a constant weight. You then calculate the percent moisture based on the wet and dry weights of the forage. It usually takes several 2-3 minute drying cycles in the microwave to completely dry the hay sample.