Cassie LeMaster: 0:01

Welcome back to the Extension Connection Podcast. I'm Cassie LeMaster, and today we're tackling some common myths about hay selection that could be costing you time, money, and potentially the health of your animals. We've all heard them. Second, cutting is always best, or you can tell hay quality just by looking at it, but are these really true? Myths often develop from a tiny bit of truth that gets inflated over time. To improve our collective knowledge about hay selection, I'm going to go over some hay myths that have been debunked by specialists at the University of Kentucky. Note that the term hay quality is often used to refer to multiple different forage attributes. When I talk about hay quality in this podcast, I'm referring to a hay, with a high nutritive value. So let's get into it. Myth number one. Second, cutting hay is always best. How this came about, the most important factor in determining hay quality is its stage of maturity at harvest. If you get nothing else from this podcast today, remember that. Cool season grasses such as fescue or orchard grass will produce a seed head in the spring, often just in time for the first cutting. For the hay producer, this means an increase in yield. And therefore more bales that can be harvested and sold if they wait to a later maturity to cut. However, this also means that the crop's fiber content is elevated, which reduces the quality or the digestibility of that forage. Because subsequent cuttings are often harvested with fewer seed heads, the second or later cuttings most often result in a less fibrous hay. So the truth here is that first cutting hay can be high quality if it was cut early in its maturity stage. The stage of maturity and other management factors affect hay quality at its harvest. High quality or low quality hay can be harvested from late spring to late fall, depending on the weather and management conditions. The quality should be assessed on a laboratory performed analysis. And not based on cutting. Myth number two, horses require higher quality hay than cattle. How this came about in general, horses do require higher quality hay than cattle because of their digestive tracts are very different. Cattle are ruminants and are able to break down fiber very efficiently. Whereas horses are mono gastrics and are less efficient at fiber digestion, therefore cattle can perform well on hay that horses cannot. The truth however, is that the animal's individual needs should dictate the quality of hay that is provided. An easy keeping quarter horse in light work does not need the same quality of hay as a thoroughbred at the peak of his or her racing career. Similarly, an open or non-pregnant cow does not need the same quality of hay that a high producing dairy Holstein needs at the peak of lactation. Consider your horse's current body condition, its work level and pasture availability. Before choosing hay to best meet your horse's needs and base this choice on a hay test, ideally. Myth number three. X is the best type of hay. So statements such as this often come from horse or livestock owners who have moved from one area of the country or potentially a different part of the world to another and are not accustomed to whatever forage species is grown locally. Forged species used for hay will fall into one or two categories, grasses or legumes. Grasses can include orchard grass, tall fescue, Bermuda grass, Timothy, teff, Broome grass, and legumes include alfalfa and clover. The truth here is that hay quality is not about the forged species or even the variety. When managed and harvested correctly, legumes will be higher in quality than grasses. However, there will be little difference between different grasses or legumes when all other factors are held constant. Buying quality hay produced locally will likely save money because of the reduced transportation costs. Research any concerns you might have about a specific grass or legume species such as endophyte infected tall fescue or red clover. If you're concerned about feeding a certain hay species, consult your local county extension agent. That would be me or an equine nutritionist. Myth number four, round bales or silage contain diseases such as botulism and should not be fed to horses. The botulism bacterium prefers moist conditions and is commonly found in soils, stream sediments, and in the intestinal track of fish and mammals. Silage by definition is stored with a higher moisture content than hay, and when not properly handled, can allow the botulism bacterium to flourish. Round bales are often bailed at a similar moisture content as small square bales, but are more likely to be stored outside where they can get wet from rain, therefore encouraging bacterium growth. The truth here is that proper storage, handling, and feeding of round bales and silage will minimize botulism risk. Cover round bales when stored, and feed them using a hay feeder to reduce contamination from trampling and urination. Do not feed round bales that show clear signs of mold to horses. Feeding silage to horses is much more common in other countries than it is in the United States. Silage should be put up at the proper moisture content, for the style of storage. Keep air tight until feeding. And be fed quickly to reduce the risk of botulism. Always test silage for forage quality before feeding. In botulism prone areas, like ours that get a lot of rain, routine vaccination will often include a botulism immunization to protect horses. Myth number five, don't feed hay that's been rained on. How this came about. So rain affects hay in a variety of ways. First rain on recently cut hay can prolong the plant's respiration, and therefore reduce its energy content. Second rain on legumes will cause leaves to separate from the stems. This is called leaf shatter, and therefore remove the plant's more nutritious portion. Fibrous stems will then be more concentrated in the final product, causing a decrease in quality. Third rain will also cause leaching of sugars and other carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals. The truth here is that rained on hay can be of acceptable quality. While farmers aim to avoid rained-on hay, the degree to which it's impacted depends on several factors. Including what type of hay was being harvested, how much or how intense the rainfall event was, the stage of curing when it rained, and what the producer has done to counteract these negative effects. For example, if rain occurs within a day of cutting, it has very little effect on the hay quality. Rain could actually reduce the non-structural carbohydrate content, much like soaking hay prior to feeding would. Be sure to test all hay, especially material that's been rained on for quality and inspect it for mold or dustiness before use. Myth number six, hay should be stored for six weeks before feeding. How the myth came about, this likely came about from hay testing. After hay is stored in a barn, it can continue to cure for another four to eight weeks. This means that the hay quality can change slightly over this time period before it becomes stable. The truth here is that hay can be fed at any time after harvesting. To increase a Hay's test accuracy, do not test the hay until it's been stored for six to eight weeks. While feeding hay sooner will not be harmful to your animals, it will be difficult to balance the ration because the exact quality won't be known. Myth number seven, green is good, and brown is bad. So hay that has been harvested too late or stored in the sun often loses its green color, due to the processes such as heating and bleaching, green hay is less likely to have gone through these processes and more likely to be of quality. The truth here is that a hay test is the only way to truly evaluate quality. No quality factors directly affect color or vice versa. Therefore, color is an inconsistent factor to evaluate hay quality. In summary, don't rely on assumptions or old wives tales. Prioritize the maturity at harvest over the cutting number. A more mature cut hay is likely a better option for an easy keeping horse over what might be considered a prime hay. Always test your hay. It's the only way to truly know its nutritional value and make informed feeding decisions. Match your hay quality to your animal specific needs, rather than making assumptions based on a blanket best hay definition. Number four, practice proper storage and handling for all hay types to minimize health risks. By applying these principles, you can optimize your feeding program, improve animal health, and make the most of your hay investment. If you need help testing your hay or understanding analysis, feel free to call me at the Polk County Extension Office. Don't forget to check back on the third Wednesday of the month for the next livestock topic on the Extension Connection Podcast.