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Grow More High-quality Hay
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Although grazing is the most economical way to harvest forages, stored hay often is critical in beef cattle production. It’s important to maximize hay quantity and quality, whether you’re putting it up and marketing it or feeding it on farm to keep your high-value beef cows in condition.
“Harvested hay is an investment,” says Sam Ingram, a Range & Pasture field scientist with Corteva Agriscience. “Sound agronomic practices, along with properly harvesting and storing hay, will help boost returns.”
Start Strong
Whether you’re managing an existing hay field or establishing a new one, it’s important to pull soil samples and adjust fertility according to test results. When seeding hay ground, be sure to select high-quality seed.
“Weed control plays a critical role in hay production,” Ingram says. “Weeds impact hay quantity by competing for moisture and nutrients. They can reduce hay quality by slowing drydown. In the bale, weeds reduce feed value, and some, such as poison hemlock, remain poisonous.”
The good news is the same Corteva Range & Pasture offerings you count on for your grazing acres also are labeled for use in hay production. Ingram recommends you start with these options, designed to suit your individual needs:
- DuraCor® herbicide. Get broad-spectrum control of broadleaf weeds, especially for those that frequently pop up in hay fields, such as plantain, poison hemlock, ragweed and thistles.
- NovaGraz™ herbicide. The latest innovation from Corteva, NovaGraz is the first product to control broadleaf weeds while preserving white clover and annual lespedeza and provides a non-residual herbicide option to hay producers.
- PastureGard® HL herbicide. In situations where dogfennel or woody species threaten your hay fields or where you prefer a nonresidual herbicide, go with PastureGard HL for control of broadleaf weeds and brush in a single pass.
- UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed. As noted, fertility and weed control contribute mightily to high-quality hay. Accomplish both in a single, convenient, cost-effective pass. Applications can be made in early spring, after the first cutting, or in the fall.
Cut It Right; Store It Right
Time is of the essence in high-quality hay production. University of Missouri research shows that most forages lose 20% of their total digestible nutrients and 40% of their protein just 10 days after their optimal harvest stage.
For grass hay, the cutting window is:
- The boot stage (when undeveloped seed heads are near emergence from the top of their stems) for tall fescue, timothy and most other forage grasses
- After seed heads have emerged for brome and orchardgrass
Forage plants grow and mature quickly, especially under favorable spring conditions. That first cutting can sneak up on us. Make sure prepping hay equipment is on your spring to-do list. And then don’t overlook how you will handle and store that hay.
Here are a few considerations:
- Stay sharp. Clean, efficient cutting reduces leaf loss due to shattering and prevents stem damage. Damaged stems slow plant recovery, which can delay the next cutting. Sharpen or replace all blades, sickle sections and cutting mechanisms. Look for damaged or worn sickle guards.
- Inspect equipment thoroughly. Check belts and hoses for cracks and wear. Properly tighten chains and belts. Make sure tires are properly inflated to prevent wear and minimize soil compaction.
- Reduce storage losses. Reducing waste is one of the best ways to hold down feed costs. Obviously, hay stored outside suffers the greatest losses — as high as 25% between dry matter and feed value. Evaluate economical options for covered hay storage, which might pencil out easier than you think. If you must store hay outside: use well-drained sites; allow a minimum of 3 feet between bale rows; stay away from trees and other shady areas; and feed outdoor-stored hay first.
“Hay-feeding season is a critical time in the livestock production cycle,” Ingram says. “Breeding stock must maintain or increase body condition. High-quality hay is an important component in least-cost feeding programs. Be sure to give it the attention it deserves.”
1Henning JC, Wheaton HN. Making and Storing Quality Hay. University of Missouri Extension website. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g4575.
Under normal field conditions, DuraCor® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. Consult the label for full details. DuraCor and NovaGraz are not registered for sale or use in all states. UltiGraz℠ with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.