Feeding hay is a major part of many winter feeding programs. To best utilize hay, it is important to consider hay quality, nutrient requirements of the cows it is being fed to and how the hay will be fed.
Hay quality
When considering hay quality, it is generally best to feed the highest-quality hay when cow nutrient requirements will be at their highest. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) and adjusted crude protein (CP) are the two most important things to evaluate in terms of meeting a cow's nutrient requirements. TDN is a measure of the amount of energy or calories the hay contains.
Milk production is one of the biggest factors impacting energy and protein requirements of cows. After calving, milk production increases each day for about the first 60 days of lactation. At about 60 days after calving, daily milk production reaches its highest output, which is known as peak milk production. After around 60 days, milk production continues to decrease each day until the calf is weaned.
Peak milk production represents the time when nutrient requirements are highest for cows. The best-quality hay available should be fed around the time of peak milk production. Additionally, nutrient requirements of lactating cows are influenced by cow age. Two-year-old lactating cows have the highest requirements, followed by 3-year-old cows; the requirements for lactating mature cows are slightly lower than the younger cows. If cows are separated into age groups, feed the hay with the highest TDN to the 2-year-old cows.
Feed loss
There are a few strategies that can be used to reduce hay feeding waste. The two most common include unrolling hay or using hay rings.
Unrolling hay works well to reduce feeding losses. When unrolling hay, it is key to only unroll what hay the cows will consume each day.
There are several different variations of hay rings available. When selecting hay rings, consider how well they will limit waste, how long they will last and the initial purchase price. Often a midpriced hay ring that limits waste more than the least expensive options will prove to be the best value in the long run. Hay rings that have slanted bars around the top half will reduce hay losses more than those that are more open around the top. Additionally, closely spaced vertical bars or horizontal rings around the bottom will limit waste more than rings that are more open.
