Top Things to Think about Before Buying Hay

When purchasing hay, there are a number of things that you can consider.

Evaluating hay quality

When purchasing hay, you can get a general sense of its quality with a visual evaluation. Look for the following characteristics:

Maturity - High quality hay will have a high percentage of leaves in the bale, with few or no coarse stems or seed heads.

Condition - High quality hay will contain little dust or mold.

Color & odor - High quality hay generally has a bright green color and a sweet, fresh odor. Brown or dark coloration, a bleached appearance, or musty odors usually lower quality.

Debris and Foreign material - The hay should be free of foreign objects (trash, sticks, tree leaves), and weeds. Be on the lookout for poisonous plant species in the bale.

The most important information for many livestock owners could be in a forage analysis report where you might find the following useful information:

·       Dry matter - Everything in the sample other than water, including protein, fiber, fat, minerals, etc. The dry matter of a forage contains all of the nutrients.

·       Crude Protein (CP) - an estimate of the plant protein in the feed based on its total nitrogen content. Expressed as a percentage of dry matter.

·       Neutral Detergent Fiber (DF) - total plant fiber in the feed, comprised of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin and expressed as a percentage of dry matter. The higher the NDF, the less an animal will eat before its stomach is full. Ruminant animals (cows, sheep, and goats) have the ability to digest some plant fiber as a source of energy.

·       Digestible Nutrients (TDN) - The sum of digestible protein, starches, sugars, fiber, and fat, expressed as a percentage of dry matter.

·       Net energy values, expressed as megacalories of energy per pound of dry matter (Mcal/lb.)are important to producers raising livestock for meat or milk: ü energy of maintenance (NEm) refers to the fraction of a forage’s energy content available to keep animals alive. ü energy of gain (NEg) refers to the fraction of energy available for animals to gain weight. ü energy of lactation (NEl) refers to energy available for milk production.

·       Relative Feed Value (RFV) - an index for ranking forages based on their digestibility and intake potential. Generally, the higher the score, the higher the quality, but a score of 85-90 is still high quality for animals fed for maintenance or light production.

·       Minerals - Expressed as percentages of dry matter, or in the case of microminerals, parts per million, the content of various minerals in a forage will vary with soil fertility and crop management. Because mineral excesses or deficiencies can cause health problems in livestock, you need to know the mineral content of your hay when planning a feeding program.

Questions to Ask

1. What kind of bales are available (small or large square bales and/or round bales)? What is the average weight of the bales?

Not all hay suppliers have each type of bale available for sale. Similarly, not all hay buyers are properly equipped to feed all bale types. With your preference in mind, make sure to ask hay suppliers how much of each bale type is available.

Ask about the average weight of bales.  This will help you calculate the best value for your dollar.  Buying50-pound bales at $6 each which works out to $240 per ton is always is a better buy than 35-pound bales at $5 each which works out to $286 per ton.  Delivery fees or distance can be added to the cost per bale

2. What species are present in the hay?

What type of hay is it? Is it grass?  Mixed grass? Grass and Legume? Legume and grass species have very different nutrient values, which are both important in a balanced diet.  Legumes, like alfalfa, tend to be higher in crude protein, energy, and calcium, and lower in nonstructural carbohydrates and fiber values compared to cool-season grasses.  What are your nutritional needs?

3. How mature is the hay?

Energy, fiber and palatability matter. Maturity is the main driver in forage quality. More mature forages have larger stems and flowers (legume species) and seed heads (grass species) which normally reduce protein and energy availability to the animal.  Less mature forages tend to be better for animals with higher nutrient needs while growing, lactating, or experiencing higher activity levels and caloric requirements.

4. Was the hay rained on?

Nutrient leaching, possibly mold and potential storage issues can develop if not baled in a timely fashion or improperly.  Rained on hay can actually be a good choice for horses with metabolic problems, as it tends to be lower in nonstructural carbohydrates. Although, hay that receives excessive rainfall is usually not a good option for horses in general.  In general, rained on hay is safe and usable but can be of lower quality.

5. Was the hay stored inside or under cover after baling?

Proper storage helps to preserve the quality of the hay and prevent a loss in volume. Hay that is uncovered is more susceptible to mold and bale deterioration.

6. Was the hayfield fertilized and/or sprayed for weeds?

Field that are kept in proper fertility or that have been fertilized show good management and likely produce a more uniform quality hay with fewer undesirable plants. The hay should be of higher quality and more nutritious.

Weed control is very important, too, considering that hay should have less than 10% nontoxic weeds; there is zero tolerance for poisonous plants in hays planned for certain animals.

7. Where was the hay harvested? Or on whose land was it baled?

This question can help you confirm that the hay was not harvested from unkept fields, road sides, which can contain garbage, and weeds.  Can also tell you if the seller is re-selling the product.

8. Have you sold hay before? How much hay do you have or bale each year? Do you have References?

Asking how much hay a farmer grows can help you ensure that they can be a consistent supplier. Farmers that regularly produce quality hay know what can cause nutritional or health issues and try to prevent them through improved management.

9. What is the price? Do you have an official nutrient analysis of the hay that is for sale?

Knowing the price of the hay you intend to buy is important for many reasons. As stated earlier, comparing prices can save you a significant amount of money when buying in bulk. Inquiries about bulk and cash discounts are other ways to save a few dollars. Additional payment options may include monthly installments or other plans to be discussed between you and the hay supplier.

A nutrient analysis can help you compare the feed value of the hay to other hays and or other feeds that may be available in your area.

10. Is delivery available? This may be critical to you?

If so, at what cost? Find out if onsite assistance will be available for unloading and stacking. These questions are often overlooked but are very important and can help you manage hay transportation.

Many people simply look to printed ads or word of mouth to source hay.  Others take what they can find and pay more for the product because they don’t ask questions. While some of these questions may not be first on your list to ask hay suppliers, none of these issues should be overlooked. More importantly, find a hay supplier who you can develop a good working relationship with from year-to-year.  Contact cchilds@vt.edu or your local Virginia Cooperative extension agent for additional information.