[AT] Cattle farmers

[Spencer Yost]

Would be interesting to do a forage test.  I’m not sure if you’re familiar with these but it’s real simple and real cheap through your agricultural extension service(if it’s like NC).  They’ll give you a tool that goes on a drill and you use it to pull out a core sample of the bale.  You do that for maybe 10 or 20 different bales that are representative of the cutting. Put them all into a clean bucket, mix them up and stuff a Ziploc bag full and send it off.  Easy peasy.  Cost is $10 in NC.  

Do it again next year when you’re able to cut at a more normal time and then compare the two.  You will know the exact difference.  As others have mentioned my guess is you will see some differences in the various fiber measurements but probably not a lot of difference in anything else.  One positive thing might be that your ”ash content”  *should* be lower since the field will be thicker and the rake will not be able to bring up as much dirt and broken down organic material and put it into the windrow.


https://forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/07/forage-and-feed-testing-form-now-online/

A good article on interpreting the results:

https://wayne.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/InterpretingForageAnalysisReportsforBeefCows1.pdf?fwd=no

Spencer

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 29, 2021, at 11:52 PM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi all, I have a question. I have a guy that bales my field, for his
> cattle. I just give it to him, because it saves me the trouble of brush
> hogging it, and it doesn't go to waste. It's  been so wet in SE
> Michigan, he hasn't been able to get on it it yet, He's only baled 40 of
> the 200 acres he normally bales. At this point of the year, is the hay
> even any good?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike M
> 
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