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How Long Can Hay Last?
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<blockquote data-quote="bsmith" data-source="post: 767244" data-attributes="member: 14398"><p>I have property near College Station, TX (central Texas). This area of Texas goes through frequent drought and rain cycles. In wet years, hay from coastal and other hybrid bermuda grasses (Tifton85) is plentiful and relatively cheap. I am building a large metal storage building (site prep stage right now) and have been wondering whether it would be worthwhile to expand the building to be able to store enough hay to last multiple winters such that I could restock only when hay is plentiful, high quality, and relatively cheap.</p><p></p><p>The idea is that I would always use the oldest hay each winter and purchase hay during every plentiful summer. In good times, I might be able to buy hay three summers straight. But in extended drought times, I would skip purchasing scarce, expensive hay and just feed from my stockpile. I might need to go three winters on stored hay before good buying times arrive again.</p><p></p><p>For those of you who operate in my area and use similar high quality type hay, how many years do you believe that high quality hay stored just off a concrete floor (2x4's between hay and concrete) with roof and walls on all four sides would stay good for cow consumption?</p><p></p><p>None of the university and extension articles on forage storage address the maximum possible hay storage time. I found a few anecdotal comments on the web where farmers say hay 10 and even 15 years old was often preferred by cows over one year old hay. So while hay is always degrading with time, it seems that high quality hay stored in ideal conditions can stay quite nutritious for many years.</p><p></p><p>Assuming that hay can last sufficiently well to stockpile for years and assuming that I can afford the building size (building costs are extremely low for me as I have materials, equipment, and skills) and amount of hay needed to stockpile for my herd size, how many years supply (2,3, maybe 4) would you experienced operators in my area believe would be an ideal number to make hay purchases always occur on favorable terms?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="bsmith, post: 767244, member: 14398"] I have property near College Station, TX (central Texas). This area of Texas goes through frequent drought and rain cycles. In wet years, hay from coastal and other hybrid bermuda grasses (Tifton85) is plentiful and relatively cheap. I am building a large metal storage building (site prep stage right now) and have been wondering whether it would be worthwhile to expand the building to be able to store enough hay to last multiple winters such that I could restock only when hay is plentiful, high quality, and relatively cheap. The idea is that I would always use the oldest hay each winter and purchase hay during every plentiful summer. In good times, I might be able to buy hay three summers straight. But in extended drought times, I would skip purchasing scarce, expensive hay and just feed from my stockpile. I might need to go three winters on stored hay before good buying times arrive again. For those of you who operate in my area and use similar high quality type hay, how many years do you believe that high quality hay stored just off a concrete floor (2x4's between hay and concrete) with roof and walls on all four sides would stay good for cow consumption? None of the university and extension articles on forage storage address the maximum possible hay storage time. I found a few anecdotal comments on the web where farmers say hay 10 and even 15 years old was often preferred by cows over one year old hay. So while hay is always degrading with time, it seems that high quality hay stored in ideal conditions can stay quite nutritious for many years. Assuming that hay can last sufficiently well to stockpile for years and assuming that I can afford the building size (building costs are extremely low for me as I have materials, equipment, and skills) and amount of hay needed to stockpile for my herd size, how many years supply (2,3, maybe 4) would you experienced operators in my area believe would be an ideal number to make hay purchases always occur on favorable terms? [/QUOTE]
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