Month: October 2022

Hay Quality 2022 . . . challenging!

– Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

Digestibility of low quality, long stem forage can be increased 25 to 30% by processing it before feeding.

In a year like this when, according to the National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) estimates, barely half of Ohio’s first cutting hay harvest was completed by mid-June, it is apparent that Ohio cattlemen will again be faced with finding ways to make “feed” from forages that were harvested way past their prime.

As an example of the hay quality we are seeing, a recent forage analysis on some Fairfield County mixed grass hay that was mowed in mid-June and baled shortly after shows less than 7% crude protein and less than 40% TDN (total digestible nutrients) on a dry matter basis. I could tell you that’s not good feed, but perhaps a better way is to compare it to wheat straw. Book values I found for the feed nutrient content of wheat straw show a TDN of 43% and crude protein of 4.2% . . . not a lot different than the hay we tested. With so much of Ohio’s first cutting hay being made in late June and even into July this year, it creates a challenging feed quality situation we have experienced far too often in recent years!

Feed of the quality referenced in the forage sample analysis above and fed to cows as long stem hay, even when offered in unlimited amounts, simply will not satisfy the nutritional requirements of a cow in the third trimester of gestation or lactation. Without amendment, feeding this quality of forage results in cows with lesser body condition, poor quality colostrum, delayed return to estrus, lower conception rates, and Continue reading Hay Quality 2022 . . . challenging! →

Hay vs. Haylage: Is there a difference?

– Darren D. Henry, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Animal and Dairy Science Department – Tifton, GA

The question many are asking: hay or haylage?

Very often there is a gap that exists between an optimal weaning time and availability of cool season forages for grazing in the southeastern US. As summer is coming into full swing, it is important that producers are preparing for the winter months ahead. Whether a producer buys or makes conserved forage (hay, haylage, etc.), it is imperative that proactive actions are taken to ensure a sufficient supply of protein and energy for their cows during the winter. A question that many producers are asking themselves is, ‘hay or haylage?’

Feeding hay has been a staple throughout the winter for many producers who either do not plant cool season forages or for those that do plant cool season forages, but still need to supplement their cattle with extra forage. In the Southeast, with the unpredictable weather that we are up against, it can be a daunting task to decide when to cut hay, attempting to choose a week that our hay will not get rained on. When trying to bale hay at 10-15% moisture, a shower from the West can add a few days of drying and nutrient loss to an otherwise successful cutting of hay. With this in mind, many producers are considering rapping their cut forage with about 60% moisture and allowing that forage to ferment creating haylage.

After considering these possibilities, we designed an experiment to evaluate the difference between forage conserved as hay or haylage on organic matter intake and the total tract digestibility of nutrients in . . .

Continue reading Hay vs. Haylage: Is there a difference?

Practice Patience With Your Stockpile

– Victor Shelton, Retired NRCS Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

The best stockpiled forage is late summer to fall regrowth – just don’t start grazing it too early.

When a lot of things that occupy your time or influence your pocketbook are impacted by the weather it is hard to not talk about it some! I felt it was a very odd growing season, at least in my neck of the woods. My reasons were certainly different than in other areas, even not that far away. The weather constantly reminds me that we need to always have a plan B and be prepared to act on it. It also reminds me that we need to build in as much resilience into the grazing system as possible.

I’ve been asked twice recently about what I consider “stockpiled” forage. Stockpiled forage is technically defined as standing forage that is allowed to accumulate for grazing at a later period, usually for fall and winter grazing after dormancy. Stockpiling usually is initiated anywhere from early August to the first of September. I like to see at least 60 days of forage accumulation prior to the first frost – that means it needs to be started by mid-August most years. This time frame allows enough time, with adequate rainfall, to Continue reading Practice Patience With Your Stockpile →

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Feeding Frosted Forages

– Mark Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist

Sudex is one of the forages that can be toxic when frosted.

I am beginning to get questions about toxicities that can develop after forages are frosted. There is potential for some forage toxicities and other problems that can develop after a frost. Prussic acid poisoning and high nitrates are the main concern with a few specific annual forages and several weed species, but there is also an increased risk of bloat when grazing legumes after a frost.

Nitrate accumulation in frosted forages. Freezing damage slows down metabolism in all plants, and this might result in nitrate accumulation in plants that are still growing, especially grasses like oats and other small grains, millet, and sudangrass.  This build-up usually is not hazardous to grazing animals, but greenchop or hay cut right after a freeze can be more dangerous. When in doubt, send in a sample to a forage testing lab and request a nitrate test before grazing or feeding a forage after a frost.

Prussic Acid Toxicity

Several forage and weed species contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides that are converted quickly to prussic acid (i.e. hydrogen cyanide) in freeze-damaged plant tissues, or under drought conditions. Some labs provide prussic acid testing of forages (see a partial list at the end of this article). Sampling and shipping guidelines should be carefully followed because . . .

Continue reading Feeding Frosted Forages

AVOID A NIGHTMARE NEXT SPRING!!!!!!!!

– Mark Sulc and Alyssa Essman, OSU Extension

Cressleaf groundsel can be toxic to livestock

Scout Forage Stands for Winter Annuals NOW. Last week Mark Loux reminded us to control cressleaf groundsel and other winter annual weeds now. If you haven’t read that article, go read it right now, Our Annual Article to Nag about Fall Herbicides and Cressleaf Groundsel, and read the other articles linked in that one.

Scouting hayfields and pastures and applying controls this month, especially in NEW FORAGE STANDS seeded this summer and early autumn, is absolutely critical to AVOID A NIGHTMARE NEXT SPRING.

JUST DO IT! We really don’t want to say next spring, “WE TOLD YOU SO LAST FALL” —that would bring us no joy at all and your regret will be painful if you don’t listen to . . .

Continue reading AVOID A NIGHTMARE NEXT SPRING!!!!!!!!

The Cattle Cycle

– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

Much discussion surrounding cattle markets in 2022 has focused on factors impacting current and future supplies. Drought-induced feedlot placements, higher cow and heifer slaughter, and lower auction receipts are all topics discussed in this newsletter over the past few months that have implications for cattle supplies moving forward. Today, I want to take a step back and look at the supply situation from a longer-term perspective which is typically called the cattle cycle.

The cattle industry is cyclical by nature. The production lags inherent to the sector lead to long-lasting impacts of production decisions. Increased liquidation in 2022 implies tighter supplies for next year. Similarly, times of herd expansion are typically a multi-year period. This expansion story held true during 2014-2018. The cliché of it taking a while to turn a large ship is fitting.

The cattle industry has moved in cycles for as far back as Continue reading The Cattle Cycle →

2022 Heifer Price Discounts

– Elliott Dennis, Assistant Professor & Extension Livestock Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

There continues to be a high percentage of total cattle on feed that are heifers, indicating that the breeding herd will be smaller in 2023 and 2024. The steer and heifer price difference could work to slow some of these placements. Heifer calves are generally discounted relative to steers due to their tendency to finish at lower weights, with lower daily gains, and higher feed conversions. Large price differences provide incentives for heifers to be retained in the herd. This difference varies over time driven by the cattle cycle and seasonally due to the availability of total feeder cattle available to feedlots to place on feed.

Figure 1. Price weight slide for feeder cattle sold via video auction out of the North Central Region for delivery in September, October, or November 2022. Source: Various video auctions, USDA-AMS (2022) Note: Each dot represents an individual transaction. The size of the dot indicates the number of cattle sold. Red dots are steer lots sold and green dots are heifer lots sold. The best fit line with one standard deviation is fit through all the transactions by sex and weight.

Nebraska feeder cattle provide a good indicator of how these price differences have varied over time, within season, and across weight class. Price differences are larger for lighter cattle (500-599 pounds) versus heavier cattle (700-799 pounds) due to the price weight slide (see Tables 1 and 2). In Nebraska, for lighter feeder cattle, the price difference tends to be largest in Continue reading 2022 Heifer Price Discounts →