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Check the quality of your hay

According to the latest crop progress and condition report, just 66 percent of alfalfa hay has had its first cutting.  That’s over 30 percent behind last year.  Purdue Extension beef specialist Ron Lemenager says while we may be behind last year’s pace – so far the crop is looking pretty good.  “We’re in better shape this summer than we were a year ago, because we have some soil moisture,” he says.  “That’s going to keep these cool season grasses going longer.  The other part is we’ve not had the blistering heat yet and so the cool season grasses continue to grow.”

While Lemenager tells Brownfield things look to be in pretty good shape so far – he does have a few concerns.  “Moisture also makes parasites move up and down the blades of grass,” he says.  “This is going to be a season where we’re watching for our parasite loads and we may need to put deworming strategies into place.”

And his other concern comes with the quality of the hay – especially with the late harvest.  “I really think producers need to get a forage test on these hays; particularly on this first cutting, but probably on all batches this year,” he says.

Because, Lemenager says, it is likely the hay will need supplementation strategies to get through winter feeding.

AUDIO: Ron Lemenager, Hay Quality (1:54mp3)

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