carried over grass hay

[AudieWyoming]

I have a question about southeastern US grass hay stored in a barn. How much nutritional value does it lose if you carry it over to the next year? In Wyoming we feed Alfalfa, stored outside (we don't get alot of moisture) but if you don't feed it up by the end of spring its not much good. The dryland feeds (wheat hay, oats, corn stalks or sorgumn, or millet) aren't very nutritious but the course stem feeds are more palatable the longer they weather. (within reason)

The new ranch in Alabama has more stored grass hay than I will need this winter, but extra stored feed always looks like good insurance to me.

 

[1982vett]

I'd have to look up the exact numbers, but after your first year, barnstored hay looses very little nutritional value.

The new ranch in Alabama has more stored grass hay than I will need this winter, but extra stored feed always looks like good insurance to me.

Money in the bank. :nod:

 

[kenny thomas]

I have read that barn stored hay will loose 1/2% per year stored. Don't know why but my cattle seem to like it very well. Maybe the breakdown of plant fiber makes it more platatable(sp).

 

[bigbull338]

barn stored hay dont loose much if any of its feed value.i know where thewres a barn full of hay thats 4yrs old or older.an the hay still looks nice an fresh.an theres no telling when the old man will empty that barn.

 

[Angus Cowman]

barn stored hay dont loose much if any of its feed value.i know where thewres a barn full of hay thats 4yrs old or older.an the hay still looks nice an fresh.an theres no telling when the old man will empty that barn.

Looks can be deceiving
don't know exactly which article it was but MU put out a paper saying that you lose a round 1/2% per yr

 

[bigbull338]

ok heres another example.i talked to a guy that manages a dairy for a vet that i know.an he said a guy they knew wanted to clean all his hay barns out.an offered the hay to the vet.well the vet turned down those 500 round bales.the guy had them tested.an they was testing 14% protine.an they had been in the barn for 4 or 5yrs.

 

[1982vett]

Had to go to the horse side to find this. Similar to what the forages specialist at TAMU have said. (just unable to loacate it at the moment)

http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/Symposium/19 ... Horses.htm
Myth or Reality? "Hay that has been stored in the barn for a year or more has lost its nutrient value" Myth! As long as hay has been stored in a dry environment, it is suitable for feeding for a long time after harvest. The amounts of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus in a bale of hay in dry storage are basically the same after 2 years of storage as they are after 2 months of storage. One nutrient that does change with storage is vitamin A. However the greatest loss of vitamin A activity occurs right after harvest, and the amount of change from 6 months to a year or more is relatively small. Long term storage may increase dryness of hay. Hay that is very dry will be brittle and sustain more leaf shatter, so wastage during feeding may go up. Hay that has been stored for a long time may also have an increased level of dustiness, probably due to the increased dryness.

 

[AudieWyoming]

Had to go to the horse side to find this. Similar to what the forages specialist at TAMU have said. (just unable to loacate it at the moment)

http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/Symposium/19 ... Horses.htm
Myth or Reality? "Hay that has been stored in the barn for a year or more has lost its nutrient value" Myth! As long as hay has been stored in a dry environment, it is suitable for feeding for a long time after harvest. The amounts of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus in a bale of hay in dry storage are basically the same after 2 years of storage as they are after 2 months of storage. One nutrient that does change with storage is vitamin A. However the greatest loss of vitamin A activity occurs right after harvest, and the amount of change from 6 months to a year or more is relatively small. Long term storage may increase dryness of hay. Hay that is very dry will be brittle and sustain more leaf shatter, so wastage during feeding may go up. Hay that has been stored for a long time may also have an increased level of dustiness, probably due to the increased dryness.

Great, Thanks for the help!!!