Testing Forages

Four forage parameters to watch after a wet haying season

rkern@wardlab.com — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

After years of drought, Nebraska hay producers faced a new challenge in 2025: too much rain. This high-moisture hay raises new questions about winter feeding strategies.

Alfalfa innovation for a sustainable future

marian@agproud.com — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Decades of genetic innovation meet farmer- and rancher-tested flexibility in alfalfa systems built for yield, quality and climate resilience.

Is it grunt work or just unpleasant work?

rkern@wardlab.com — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:39 -0400

What was once "grunt work" is now a critical piece of the puzzle, handled by a team that knows its impact.

Growing alfalfa seed in the western U.S.

Fri, 09 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Farmers in different western U.S. regions grow different types of alfalfa seeds to meet the needs of those regions and climates.

Winter supplementation: More than just protein

rkern@wardlab.com — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

During the winter months when fresh forage on pastures is unavailable to most cow-calf producers, they typically turn to feeding one low-quality forage with a protein supplement. In Nebraska and other states where corn is a commonly grown commodity crop, many producers use grazing cornstalks as their low-quality forage source.

Are all bales harvested from a single hayfield created equal?

mike.reuter@dairyone.com — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As the calendar has turned to autumn and the hay harvest season continues in full swing across the country, forage analysis labs expect to be hit by a tidal wave of samples from clients.

New report shows mycotoxins are on the rise in common feed ingredients

aldo.rossi@amlan.com — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Cows that consume feed contaminated with mycotoxins – which include natural toxins made by various species of molds – may suffer a host of various metabolic disruptions that lead to a loss of milk production, hormonal imbalance and reduced reproductive performance.

A collaboration for data collection

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

There are infinite factors that go into producing a quality forage. Soil microorganisms, nutrients, composition and compaction all play a huge role in the ability of a forage crop to thrive, and that’s before the seed is even planted and the weather plays its role.

Putting forage test results to work for your herd

katie.vanvalin@uky.edu — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:57:57 -0500

Except for forage producers using hay analyses for marketing purposes, the real advantage of hay testing is not simply getting the results, but using those results to make meaningful decisions and make the hay feeding period more efficient.

Hesitation about NIRS evaluation of grass forages

rkern@wardlab.com — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, producers at the Nebraska Grazing Conference indicated that there is still a lot of apprehension around the use of NIRS in forage evaluation. The most common concern was that NIRS is “fine” for alfalfa but not accurate enough for grass forages.

Forage sampling and analysis: Can we overemphasize its importance?

jasonwarner@ksu.edu — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:08:22 -0400

While producers and industry professionals alike recognize why forage sampling is important and generally agree with the oft-cited mantra of, “You cannot manage what you do not measure,” taking sufficient and accurate samples often falls to the bottom of the priority list.

Myth-busting horse hay

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Many forage buyers and sellers equate “horse-quality” hay to forages with the highest nutrient content, especially in comparison to “cow hay.”

In-field vs. in-lab testing and techniques in the archaic world of soil

dustin_sawyer@rockriverlab.com — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

While drones and imagery are flying along, the evolution of soil testing seems to be moving at an earthworm's pace.

A better way than crude fiber

woody@woodylane.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 10:49:39 -0500

It’s a world full of confusing, shifting, mislabeled and misunderstood compounds and structures.

Forage testing for the future

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:40:07 -0400

The case in favor of how valuable a forage test can be is solid and largely undisputed, but how often do those tests need to be performed to be most efficient?

It’s not too early to evaluate hay and forage levels

robin.cox@servitech.com — Mon, 30 May 2022 03:33:52 -0400

Hay season will soon be upon us; how will your forage perform? This question is on the mind of growers who raise, feed and sell this precious commodity.

The dictionary behind forage analysis

louisa.koch@agriking.com — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 13:00:01 -0400

With spring just around the corner, you may be starting to think about your forage plans for your operation. Whether you are ready to put your cows out on pasture or begin a new harvest of haylage, it’s important to know what you are feeding your animals.

Why is my RFV so different from my RFQ?

rkern@wardlab.com — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:00:01 -0400

As a consultant at a commercial testing laboratory, this is one of the most common questions I receive from producers looking at their forage report.

Forage quality and quantity in 2022

hutjensm@illinois.edu — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:00:01 -0500

Profit margins could be a challenge in 2022 as feed prices remain high, with premium-quality alfalfa hay over $240 a ton, shelled corn approaching $6 a bushel and soybean meal over $370 a ton. One solution is if you have adequate forage amounts and quality.

Leaf percentage and why it matters

djunders@wisc.edu — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:00:01 -0500

Many farmers have harvested alfalfa and then found it did not have the expected relative forage quality (RFQ). A new forage analysis, leaf percentage, may help determine the cause of the problem.

After-harvest forage evaluation

ben.jensen@hubbardfeeds.com — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 04:49:23 -0400

Farmers love what they do, and whether they realize it or not, each one lives for the harvest – not just crop farmers with grain harvests but livestock owners marketing animals, along with dairy farms with pounds of milk sent to the creamery.

A bright future: Protein in alfalfa hay and haylage

djunders@wisc.edu — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:00:01 -0500

Alfalfa has long been appreciated for its high protein content. It is normally around 20% crude protein (CP) for dairy-quality hay/haylage and 16% to 18% CP when harvested at first flower to mid-flower for growing animals.

Maintaining pasture health to maintain weight

rkern@wardlab.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:00:01 -0500

For many cattle producers, it is a relief to put the cows to pasture. We have just overcome winter feeding obstacles, and many of us are ready to turn the cows out and focus on other tasks.

Before buying NIRS technology, ask these questions

peggy@upleveldairy.com — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:00:01 -0400

Near-infrared reflectance spectrometry (NIRS) is no longer limited to a forage testing laboratory, but prior to investing in one, it is important to thoroughly research the features that can make or break this technology as a useful forage quality management tool.

Avoid the common abuses of forage quality testing

gshew@uidaho.edu — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:25:45 -0400

There is much concern about the reliability of hay test results and how lab results impact price and sales of hay.

Four common mistakes for forage samples

rkern@wardlab.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 20:41:34 -0400

Working in a commercial agricultural-testing laboratory, I see all different types of feed and forage samples submitted in all kinds of ways. A silage sample might be sent to us in a large vet glove, while a corn grain might come in a coffee can, even when most labs provide sample bags for submission. Which brings me to the first of four common mistakes made when submitting forage samples to a commercial laboratory for testing.

Strategies to ensure quality forage for the entire dairy herd

jrl65@cornell.edu — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 18:31:58 -0400

While weather is a constant challenge to maintaining forage supply, producers can control other threats to having enough feed.

Shining the light on NIRS

mderbedrosian@vitaplus.com — Fri, 31 May 2019 17:48:49 -0400

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) seems like something out of a science-fiction movie: You can shine a light onto a feed and immediately know the chemical and nutritional make-up.

Forage and feed testing update

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 14:00:01 -0500

Forage samples aren’t always predictable for nutritional quality by looking at one or two constituents. Instead, forage samples have inter-related constituents. So it is important to test for dry matter, protein and fiber constituents, for example, as a package.

Sampling forages: A test is only as good as the sample you take

sbarnhar@iastate.edu — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:23:09 -0500

Forage testing is used to estimate the nutritional value of forage for livestock rations. It involves sampling and lab analysis. The information gained is most useful if it is correctly used in the development and feeding of balanced rations, or in some cases in hay marketing.