The better buy

[TexasBred]

Hay bought WITHOUT a test is worthless! That 5x6 may test at 8% protein, versus the 4x5 at 12%. SO therefore the cows will need to eat more of the 5x6 to get the same nutrition.

I NEVER buy hay without testing it. No one in Missouri tests hay, so I have to test it and pay for it. Example; I bought 78 bales from a friend down the road, contingent on protein and RFV. Well, the protein was 15% dry, and RFV of 112, HOWEVER, the Nitrate was 2.4% which is UNSAFE for pregnant cows. I had to buy it, since it met my criteria, however had I not tested it, I would have fed it to my cows and likely caused ABORTIONS! I am feeding it to my open heifer group, bull group, and horses.
A hay test here is $18, well worth preventing issues.....

Been running cows for over 35 years. Biggest herd was 30 or so. Never tested, got what I could get or what I baled, never had a miscarriage, still born, or abort that I know of. Hay sells by the bale, and nearest scales are 20 miles and a pain to use. As you surely know, once baled hard to tell what's in the bale by looking at it other than stretching your arms across it and pulling out a plug and having a look.

Most hay that you buy comes from non prepared, non-fertilized sources, usually at full maturity, like the field gets cut once, maybe twice a year, never saw a herbicide, and on prepared sources (SS) usually they grow for volume, not quality, so you get a lot of mature plants with large, non-nutritive stems. No scales for weighing. Up to you to figure what you are buying and it's a crap shoot!

Pulling a hay sample takes 5 minutes. We have scales every where you look. Surely you're not that isolated. I can weigh an individual bale or weigh a rig empty and loaded but I always buy by the ton. I figure I've saved a lot of money over the years doing this. Don't know who you're buying from but folks around here fertilize, cut on time and cut often. They can't keep customers doing like you describe.

 

[skyhightree1]

Hay bought WITHOUT a test is worthless! That 5x6 may test at 8% protein, versus the 4x5 at 12%. SO therefore the cows will need to eat more of the 5x6 to get the same nutrition.

I NEVER buy hay without testing it. No one in Missouri tests hay, so I have to test it and pay for it. Example; I bought 78 bales from a friend down the road, contingent on protein and RFV. Well, the protein was 15% dry, and RFV of 112, HOWEVER, the Nitrate was 2.4% which is UNSAFE for pregnant cows. I had to buy it, since it met my criteria, however had I not tested it, I would have fed it to my cows and likely caused ABORTIONS! I am feeding it to my open heifer group, bull group, and horses.
A hay test here is $18, well worth preventing issues.....

Been running cows for over 35 years. Biggest herd was 30 or so. Never tested, got what I could get or what I baled, never had a miscarriage, still born, or abort that I know of. Hay sells by the bale, and nearest scales are 20 miles and a pain to use. As you surely know, once baled hard to tell what's in the bale by looking at it other than stretching your arms across it and pulling out a plug and having a look.

Most hay that you buy comes from non prepared, non-fertilized sources, usually at full maturity, like the field gets cut once, maybe twice a year, never saw a herbicide, and on prepared sources (SS) usually they grow for volume, not quality, so you get a lot of mature plants with large, non-nutritive stems. No scales for weighing. Up to you to figure what you are buying and it's a crap shoot!

Pulling a hay sample takes 5 minutes. We have scales every where you look. Surely you're not that isolated. I can weigh an individual bale or weigh a rig empty and loaded but I always buy by the ton. I figure I've saved a lot of money over the years doing this. Don't know who you're buying from but folks around here fertilize, cut on time and cut often. They can't keep customers doing like you describe.

You have those high dollar cows that shrub there noses at untested hay and have a few weeds in them... We got the riff raff cows that are hungry and just want something to eat :lol2: ;-)

 

[TexasBred]

You have those high dollar cows that shrub there noses at untested hay and have a few weeds in them... We got the riff raff cows that are hungry and just want something to eat :lol2: ;-)

Hey there young man. As a certified hobby farmer only the best for old Bossie, Babe and Mary Lou. :lol:

 

[skyhightree1]

You have those high dollar cows that shrub there noses at untested hay and have a few weeds in them... We got the riff raff cows that are hungry and just want something to eat :lol2: ;-)

Hey there young man. As a certified hobby farmer only the best for old Bossie, Babe and Mary Lou. :lol:

:tiphat:

 

[snoopdog]

It's just not sold by the ton around here, price is by the bale, round or square . I can look at group of bales and maybe not guess the analyses , but I can see if the guy knows how to put up hay . These look full and weed free, Bermuda, and they are pretty close. And yes I am a hobby farmer ,but it takes nearly all my free time .

 

[True Grit Farms]

It's just not sold by the ton around here, price is by the bale, round or square . I can look at group of bales and maybe not guess the analyses , but I can see if the guy knows how to put up hay . These look full and weed free, Bermuda, and they are pretty close. And yes I am a hobby farmer ,but it takes nearly all my free time .

When you buy hay getting it tested isn't a bad thing. The results will let you know what you need to do if anything nutrition wise. This has been a tough year so far, a cow can't make it in the cold without good feed.

 

[snoopdog]

It's just not sold by the ton around here, price is by the bale, round or square . I can look at group of bales and maybe not guess the analyses , but I can see if the guy knows how to put up hay . These look full and weed free, Bermuda, and they are pretty close. And yes I am a hobby farmer ,but it takes nearly all my free time .

When you buy hay getting it tested isn't a bad thing. The results will let you know what you need to do if anything nutrition wise. This has been a tough year so far, a cow can't make it in the cold without good feed.

I realize that , we test our own hay through the extension office , but it takes a couple weeks . Sometimes , you have to trust your gut, and adjust if needed . I haven't found anything comparable in the area without incurring more transportation cost. And while we're not in any kind of dire situation yet , I feel like it's better to get while the getting is good rather than wait and miss the availability and get in a bind.

 

[True Grit Farms]

It's just not sold by the ton around here, price is by the bale, round or square . I can look at group of bales and maybe not guess the analyses , but I can see if the guy knows how to put up hay . These look full and weed free, Bermuda, and they are pretty close. And yes I am a hobby farmer ,but it takes nearly all my free time .

When you buy hay getting it tested isn't a bad thing. The results will let you know what you need to do if anything nutrition wise. This has been a tough year so far, a cow can't make it in the cold without good feed.

I realize that , we test our own hay through the extension office , but it takes a couple weeks . Sometimes , you have to trust your gut, and adjust if needed . I haven't found anything comparable in the area without incurring more transportation cost. And while we're not in any kind of dire situation yet , I feel like it's better to get while the getting is good rather than wait and miss the availability and get in a bind.

It's always better to have hay and not need it, than the other way around. I'm sure you already know this but you can tell the protein and quality by the cows poop and supplement accordingly.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

You have those high dollar cows that shrub there noses at untested hay and have a few weeds in them... We got the riff raff cows that are hungry and just want something to eat :lol2: ;-)

Hey there young man. As a certified hobby farmer only the best for old Bossie, Babe and Mary Lou. :lol:

It's called being SMART with your money! As a "hobby farmer", I buy about 200 bales a year to feed in the winter. Farmer A has 5 x 6 for sale for $35 a bale, farmer B had the same size for sale for $40 a bale (or ton, which ever way you buy your hay). I test, and the $40 hay tests back at 14% protein versus the $35 hay comes back at 8%. Which is the better buy???? I can feed less, and not have to supplement the 14% hay. The 8% hay I will need to provide more nutrition than she can eat to get the adequate protein she needs as an early lactation 3-n-1. That extra supplementation cost money (tubs, ddg's, what ever you use), and TIME to put it out. I want my cows coming out of winter in just as good of condition as when they started on hay. I do not want to supplement.
We used to put up our own hay, but I still tested it. Now we run too many cows, and I have to buy my hay. Knowledge is power.

 

[Dave]

The majority of hay around here is sold by the ton. There is probably more that is tested than not. There is some advertised for sale by the bale. That is mostly purchased by the backyarders who only need a small amount. A little quick math shows that it is more expensive by the bale than buying by the ton. I have been buying all the hay I feed since 1998 when I sold my hay equipment.

 

[skyhightree1]

You have those high dollar cows that shrub there noses at untested hay and have a few weeds in them... We got the riff raff cows that are hungry and just want something to eat :lol2: ;-)

Hey there young man. As a certified hobby farmer only the best for old Bossie, Babe and Mary Lou. :lol:

It's called being SMART with your money! As a "hobby farmer", I buy about 200 bales a year to feed in the winter. Farmer A has 5 x 6 for sale for $35 a bale, farmer B had the same size for sale for $40 a bale (or ton, which ever way you buy your hay). I test, and the $40 hay tests back at 14% protein versus the $35 hay comes back at 8%. Which is the better buy???? I can feed less, and not have to supplement the 14% hay. The 8% hay I will need to provide more nutrition than she can eat to get the adequate protein she needs as an early lactation 3-n-1. That extra supplementation cost money (tubs, ddg's, what ever you use), and TIME to put it out. I want my cows coming out of winter in just as good of condition as when they started on hay. I do not want to supplement.
We used to put up our own hay, but I still tested it. Now we run too many cows, and I have to buy my hay. Knowledge is power.

Oh I am not knocking anyone that does test just never had an issue as I don't buy any hay I put all mine up every year. I never had a conditioning problem especially now in the last few years of brewers grain being fed free choice. My post was merely stating that before getting all high tech there were no tests and cattle made it just fine or we would have no cattle to raise today. I think nutrition is a great thing to monitor some but some folks get out of control with it. I know for sure no cows going to turn there nose up at an untested bale if that's what's in front of them and there's a foot of snow on the ground.

 

[TexasBred]

If a $15 hay test would help me decide if I really needed to buy that $10,000 worth of supplement or not I think I'd blow the $15 just for that little bit of information before making my decision.

 

[snoopdog]

I think we can all agree nutrition is important , you're setting the calf up for success with good nutrition from conception through delivery . Buying hay is a first for me, Ive always been against it , but it's a different game to me this time . Cattle are pretty hardy and yes , if I were looking at 10k worth of supplement and splitting a dime six ways, I would want an analysis , but it's not the case . Ill look at them daily or every other day and make decisions on supplements on the fly , you can do that being small, without a lot of damage to the bottom line if your savvy . Maybe CB will chime in, someone told me he couldn't eat tomatoes , said he couldn't pass the seeds .

 

[TexasBred]

I think we can all agree nutrition is important , you're setting the calf up for success with good nutrition from conception through delivery . Buying hay is a first for me, Ive always been against it , but it's a different game to me this time . Cattle are pretty hardy and yes , if I were looking at 10k worth of supplement and splitting a dime six ways, I would want an analysis , but it's not the case . Ill look at them daily or every other day and make decisions on supplements on the fly , you can do that being small, without a lot of damage to the bottom line if your savvy . Maybe CB will chime in, someone told me he couldn't eat tomatoes , said he couldn't pass the seeds .

Size doesn't matter. $200 wasted in a small operation hurts as much as $10K in a large one... maybe more. Just can't believe so many prefer to just play it by ear on the quality of their feed. For what it's worth I fertilize pastures as well. Figure it's money well spent.

 

[Stocker Steve]

We used to put up our own hay, but I still tested it. Now we run too many cows, and I have to buy my hay. Knowledge is power.

One here tests each cutting from field to optimize his TMR blend.
I do test hay from each supplier. Some (up) sell hard -- but their hay does not test out...
I bale graze, and try to do some blending when the bales are set out.

 

[snoopdog]

TB, Look at it like this , a hay test is like a special tool {and I'm not against testing } it makes your job easier , but can you do without it for one job ? Or do you buy it, use it once, and then it sits on a shelf forever?

 

[TexasBred]

TB, Look at it like this , a hay test is like a special tool {and I'm not against testing } it makes your job easier , but can you do without it for one job ? Or do you buy it, use it once, and then it sits on a shelf forever?

Snoop we can all do without the tests. Probably 90% of the cattlemen in the country ahve never had the first bale/roll of hay tested and they survive but I don't want to just survive. That tool you mentioned is a $15 tool and can pay for itself in 2 minutes. I've got a very small little operation and don't buy a lot of hay anymore but just out of habit I still test and determine if the cattle need supplementation. When I dairied and was buying 2000 rolls a year that little hay probe and a moisture probe made me/saved me many thousands of dollars and because my suppliers knew I had that little tool I truly beleive I got the cream of their hay crop "based on tests"> ;-)

 

[snoopdog]

TB, Look at it like this , a hay test is like a special tool {and I'm not against testing } it makes your job easier , but can you do without it for one job ? Or do you buy it, use it once, and then it sits on a shelf forever?

Snoop we can all do without the tests. Probably 90% of the cattlemen in the country ahve never had the first bale/roll of hay tested and they survive but I don't want to just survive. That tool you mentioned is a $15 tool and can pay for itself in 2 minutes. I've got a very small little operation and don't buy a lot of hay anymore but just out of habit I still test and determine if the cattle need supplementation. When I dairied and was buying 2000 rolls a year that little hay probe and a moisture probe made me/saved me many thousands of dollars and because my suppliers knew I had that little tool I truly beleive I got the cream of their hay crop "based on tests"> ;-)

Well , I ended up buying some 4x6 bales from a different guy , for 30 delivered . I will have it tested and post back when I get the results . Looks like good hay .

 

[Texasmark]

TB, Look at it like this , a hay test is like a special tool {and I'm not against testing } it makes your job easier , but can you do without it for one job ? Or do you buy it, use it once, and then it sits on a shelf forever?

Snoop we can all do without the tests. Probably 90% of the cattlemen in the country ahve never had the first bale/roll of hay tested and they survive but I don't want to just survive. That tool you mentioned is a $15 tool and can pay for itself in 2 minutes. I've got a very small little operation and don't buy a lot of hay anymore but just out of habit I still test and determine if the cattle need supplementation. When I dairied and was buying 2000 rolls a year that little hay probe and a moisture probe made me/saved me many thousands of dollars and because my suppliers knew I had that little tool I truly beleive I got the cream of their hay crop "based on tests"> ;-)

Well , I ended up buying some 4x6 bales from a different guy , for 30 delivered . I will have it tested and post back when I get the results . Looks like good hay .

That's a super price considering you are in the same drought area as I am, and getting them delivered to boot. Even if you have to feed supplement, You did good!

 

[BK9954]

I have bought tifton and coastal 4X6 and 5X6 $50 a bale hay from guys around here last 2 years and my cows looked like they were starving. I don't do business with those guys anymore. The hay I am getting now is 10% protien(that's the 2 year old hay), tested, 4×5.5. $20 for 2016 and $30 for 2017 hay. Cattle eat a bale quicker but for the price and protien content I am still coming out on top. It's the only hay I buy anymore. Hard to find trustworthy guys sometimes.