Cheap hay isn’t always cheap, as bad bales may cost your herd more in the long run.
Even though many farming communities are finally getting relief from the ongoing drought this past summer, feed supplies are still hard to come by. Nationally, hay stocks dropped to their lowest numbers since the 1950s last year.
A Missouri University Extension Livestock Specialist says not all round bales are equal though when it comes to nutritional value, which in turn leads to lower profit. When purchasing, you should consider how the hay was stored and for how long. The specialist also recommends feeding in well drained areas and feed outside stored hay before the bales stored inside.
A farmer in Ontario says he is feeding the best of the Summer all Winter long!
He shared this photo on Twitter of his tractor loaded up with a round bale of hay, with just a little snow on top, but a lot of snow on the ground! If you look closely, you can see one cow has already started eating on it! The farmers says, “Don’t worry Mr. hay rake, we will see action soon.”
