Using UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool

1. Obtain a representative forage sample and send to NFTA certified lab.

2. From the test results enter DM, CP, NDF, and TDN (all on a DM basis) into the supplementation tool.

3. Select the stage of production from the drop down menu.

4. Select the supplements that you have available or just click the “Select All” button.

5. Click on the “Calculate” button.

6. View the results and select the appropriate supplement. Note: This NOT ration balancing software. Consult your local extension office or a trained nutritionist for help with formulating complete rations.

know if there is going to be a real problem with the hay that you are feeding. e true test is how your cows perform on a given hay lot. Sometimes when you look at your cows it is hard to see loss of condition from day to day. It may be a good idea to take some good quality photos at several times during the hay feeding season to document and compare changes in body condition.

Lastly, it is always a good idea to run your forage testing results by your local extension agent, veterinarian, or nutritionist. When it comes to hay feeding, it is important to be proactive rather than reactive. It is always easier to maintain condition rather than try to put it back on. So, make sure to test your hay and supplement accordingly before your cows lose condition and come up open.

Improving Hay Quality

If you nd the quality of your hay to be below “average” and/or you are tired of buying and feeding supplements, then it may be a good time to think about steps that you can take this spring to improve your hay quality. Below is a short list of things that you can implement to improve hay quality on your farm.

• Fertilize and lime according to soil test. A balanced fertility program is essential for optimizing hay yield and quality. Phosphorus, potassium, and lime should be applied according to soil test results. Avoid using “complete” fertilizers such as 10-10-10. ese fertilizers commonly over apply phosphorus and under apply potash.

• Apply nitrogen early to promote rapid spring growth. Applying 80 lb N/A in mid- to late March will promote early growth in hay meadows, resulting in higher rst harvest yields with improved crude protein values.

• Harvest at the boot stage. e single most important factor impacting forage quality is stage of maturity at harvest. Hay elds should be mowed as soon as the grass reaches the late boot-stage. e boot stage occurs when the sheath of the ag leaf swells just prior to the emergence of the seed head. By making the rst cutting in a timely manner, we will have time to make a leafy second cutting just prior to the summer months.

• Mow early in day. Some studies have shown that sugars tend to be highest in late a ernoon, making this the optimal time of day to cut. However, in high rainfall environment like Kentucky, maximizing curing time is the highest priority. erefore, hay should be mowed in mid to late morning a er the dew has dried o .

• Use mower-conditioner. Conditioning the stems allows moisture to escape at a faster rate. is shortens curing time and improves your chances of avoiding rain. Conditioning is especially important for rst cutting grasses, summer annual grasses, and legumes, all of which tend to have larger stems.

• Set swath on mower-conditioner to the widest possible setting. Maximizing the swath width decreases curing or wilting time by exposing a larger portion of the forage to direct sunlight.

• Rake or ted at 40-50% moisture content. Raking and tedding the forage while it is still pliable helps to reduce leaf loss and maintain forage quality. Once the moisture content is below 40%, leaf loss increases, especially in legumes such as alfalfa and clover.

• Bale at 18-20% moisture. Baling in this moisture range inhibits mold growth and reduces heating. Avoid baling hay that is excessively dry due to high levels of leaf loss and hay that is above 20% moisture due to heating and potential hay res.

• Store dry hay under cover and o the ground. Protecting hay from weathering

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Upcoming Events

Kentucky Fencing Schools Scottsville, KY on April 11, 2023 • Richmond, KY on April 13, 2023

Kentucky Beginning Grazing School Kentucky Soybean Board Office, Princeton KY on April 25 & 26

More information can be found by going to the Kentucky Forages Extension Webpage

Featured Publication

Understanding Forage Quality by Don Ball, Mike Collins, Garry Lace eld, Neal Martin, David Mertens, Ken Olson, Dan Putnam, Dan Undersander, and Mike Wolf. https://forages.ca.uky.edu/ les/ foragequality.pdf

Featured Video

Converting High Quality Forage into Haylage: A Research Update by Jimmy Henning. This presentation was given as part of the 2022 Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference, Conserving High Quality Forage as Baleage, that was held in Bowling Green, KY on February 24, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/@KYForages

Fencing Tip

Always use underground cable designed for electric fencing and place it in protective tubing. It is very important to only use underground cable that is designed for electric fence. Never use any product that is intended for residential use. Whenever a cable carrying current is run under the ground, always place it in some type of pipe or conduit that will protect it from future damage. Wires going under gates should be buried to a depth of approximately 1 foot.

Forage Management Tips

• Graze winter annuals.

• Flash graze paddocks that were frosted with clover.

• Allow calves and lambs to creep graze.

• As pasture growth begins, rotate through pastures quickly to keep up with initial growth.

• As pasture exceeds the needs of grazing livestock, remove some pastures from the rotation and allow growth to accumulate for hay or silage harvest.

• Get equipment ready to harvest hay at the late boot stage to early head stage top optimize yield and forage quality.

• Determine the need for and prepare to plant warm-season annuals.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 helps to reduce dry matter losses and maintain forage quality. Much of the weathering damage is a result of the hay bale wicking moisture up from the ground. So, storing hay o the ground can greatly reduce deterioration.

Allison

• Consider using baleage. e biggest advantage of baleage is the shortened period between mowing and baling. In many cases, hay can be mowed one day and baled the next. is facilitates harvesting hay at the correct stage of growth, the NUMBER ONE factor impacting forage quality. To learn more about baleage see AGR-235 Baleage: Frequently Asked Questions.

If you need help with hay sampling or interpreting your hay testing results, make sure and contact your local extension agent. Forage testing is available from several commercial labs and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. e Kentucky Department of Agriculture o ers a standard forage analysis to Kentucky producers for a reduced cost. More information on this program can be found at http://www.kyagr. com/marketing/forage-program.html. Make sure and use a lab that has been certi ed for accuracy and precision by the National Forage Testing Association. A list of certi ed labs can be found at NFTA Certi ed Labs.

Charolais Breeder

Allison Charolais

Charolais Breeder Since 1962 • Bulls Available

Ø Bull calves out of HCR Answer HCR SPIRIT 4007.

CHAROLAIS

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Ø Bull calves out of HCR Answer 2042 and HCR SPIRIT 4007.

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial breeders.

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

CHAROLAIS BULLS FOR PUREBRED BREEDERS AND COMMERCIAL BREEDERS

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial breeders.

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

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John Allison, Owner

David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

John Allison, Owner 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 502-220-3170

John Allison, Owner 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 502-220-3170

John Allison 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 (502) 220-3170

David Carter, 502-706-0075

David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

Registered South Poll bull with papers available for tranfer. Louie is easy to work, has been a solid producer for us and is only 4 years old

Contact Prince Dinger, Nicholasville, Kentucky. springwaterbeef@gmx.com 859-221-3519