Feeding livestock during the winter months is one of a producer's biggest expenses. Knowing the quality of the hay being fed can ensure the livestock are getting the nutrition they need.

When a hay quality test is not available, "average" values are assumed when balancing livestock rations. If hay quality is not as good as average, then animal performance will suffer due to inadequate nutrition. If hay quality is better than average, producers may be adding unnecessary expense to their livestock feed costs.

Hay quality is negatively influenced by the following four conditions:

TEST HAY: To ensure proper nutrition, farmers need to test hay before feeding this winter.

1. The stage of plant growth when the hay is harvested. As plants mature, crude protein declines and the amount of fiber in the plant increases. Higher fiber means lower digestibility of the forage.
2. Weather conditions between mowing and baling. Hay quality may be less if hay is rained on before baling.
3. Moisture content at the time of baling. If legume hay is very dry when baled, leaves, which are higher in protein and lower in fiber than stems, can shatter and be lost. If hay is baled too wet, the forage may heat to the point that it caramelizes.
4. Weeds baled along with the desired forages. Weeds decrease the nutritional value of the hay.

Time to sample
The best way to collect a hay sample is to use a hay probe, a hollow cylinder 12 to 18 inches long that removes a core from the bale. Many University of Missouri Extension county offices have hay probes which can be borrowed for taking samples.

Probe large round bales from the rounded side of the bale at waist height. Square bales should be sampled from the end to cut through multiple "slices" or "flakes" of hay. This method provides a representative sample, because it will include hay from several places in the windrow.

Collect cores from each lot of hay by randomly selecting 20 or more bales to be sampled. Thoroughly mix the cores together and fill a clean, airtight, quart-size plastic bag to maintain the moisture content.

Separate samples should be collected for each lot of hay or baleage. A lot is a group of bales similar in the following:

• when and where harvested
• forages species
• weed content
• forage maturity at harvesttime
• whether or not the forage had rain damage.

The goal is to remove the variability of the hay quality within the sample.

Find results
A list of laboratories analyzing hay samples can be found on MU's Agriculture Electronic Bulletin Board at agebb.missouri.edu. Click on the Hay Market Listing link and then the Certified Forage Testing Laboratories link.

After forage quality results are obtained and livestock nutritional requirements are known, forage can be allocated based on the nutritional needs of the livestock. Contact an MU Extension livestock specialist for assistance balancing rations.

Tate is an agronomy specialist with the University of Missouri Extension.