News

Hay quality could be an issue

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension forage specialist says high quality hay could be in short supply this winter.

Bruce Anderson says frequent rains this summer in many parts of the Midwest caused delays in getting the hay put up.

“Hay that is being designed specifically for dairies or for a specific type of livestock–hay that needs to be very high quality–is certainly pretty limited out there this year with the weather that we’ve had, and that’s caused some problems,” Anderson says.

Supplies of medium- to low-quality hay—the type used for grinding in feedlots and feeding to beef cows—should be ample. But Anderson says some of it “may also have questionable characteristics—some heating or some mold development in that hay that we’ve got to be a little bit careful of, and judicious in how we use it with those livestock”

Anderson says hay testing is always important, but especially in a year when there might be quality problems.

AUDIO: Bruce Anderson