I hate shopping. My wife buys all my clothes for me, which suits me just fine. When I do shop, I try to find the best deal for my money. This same concept applies to shopping for hay. Most of the time, I have a good idea of what my money is purchasing. Labels list features, ingredients, warranties, weight or other information that I can use to make my money go further.
When shopping for hay, a list of its features such as crude protein or pounds in a bale may or may not be available, making valuation of hay difficult, if not impossible. This can be easily remedied by asking for a hay analysis and a bale weight, or testing and weighing it yourself prior to purchase. Make sure when sampling hay that you obtain a test for each hay type (bermudagrass, sorghum sudan, wheat, etc.) and for each cutting. Ideally, the same thing would go for bale weight.
After obtaining the forage analysis, compare hay based on dry matter and not as-fed. Pay attention to moisture; the ideal moisture content at baling should be 17-18 percent. If moisture content is higher than this at the time of testing, it could signal problems.
There are some complex methods for placing a value on hay based on crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN), and then adjusting price compared to a known supplement value like soybean meal or corn. So how could a producer get a quick and dirty field estimation of hay value without dragging along a laptop to run all the calculations?
Always start by establishing a price based on per pound or per ton basis rather than per bale. Next, look at the hay quality analysis. Table 1 shows an example using nutrient content of grass hays based on the USDA grass hay quality guidelines. Prices assigned to quality are from the Oklahoma Hay Market Report for the week of June 25. So even though I may be giving up a little in protein, are the cheaper hays (B-C) still a good value for my money compared to A? A really simple way to figure this is to establish the crude protein unit cost of A which is $4.33 (65/15 = $4.33). Next, determine the value of the other hays in comparison to A based on per unit of crude protein content.
Table 1. Compared to A, the value of hays B-D is considerably lower and would not be considered a bargain even though they are priced less. Let's look at this another way: if we compared only hays A and B, and held the cost of B constant at $55/T, how high would A have to increase in price before the two values equal? Since B is being used as the comparison, establish the per unit value of its crude protein (55/11 = $5) and then compare to A (15 X 5 = $75). The price of A would have to increase $10/T to $75/T before the value of A=B on a per unit crude protein basis.
Note that this method is only comparing one nutrient and ignores other nutritional differences that may exist. However, as a general rule, with higher crude protein values, we also see higher TDN and lower fiber levels.
You also need to consider the class of livestock you are shopping for. For example, a dry pregnant cow in mid-gestation only needs 8-9 percent CP hay. So, while hay A is a better value based on crude protein, this type of cow does not need the high quality and it is still $20/T higher. On the other hand, this method can help when targeting hay for animals with high nutritional demands. This method also is not establishing a price; it is establishing a value, which can make comparison shopping a lot easier when price and quality are known.
Table 2 shows another tool - the USDA hay quality guidelines and the class of livestock for which they will work - that can also help in your shopping. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperatings serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Mycountrytractor.com is the destination for those looking for community info. Mycountrytractor is involved with county events and child involvement to help support local 4-H and FFA events. We have wonderful Agriculture information for our visitors for all your farming and ranching needs
Friday, July 31, 2009
Chute "N" The Bull
A common misconception is that "low-stress" must mean "no pressure." That is absolutely false. Cattle, like all other animals, respond to appropriate application and release of pressure. There are times when significant pressure must be applied to get the animals to move how and when you need. Pressure, used appropriately, does not cause long-term, harmful stress.
A good cattle handler understands two key principals: flight zone (the "bubble" around an animal that, if invaded by a handler, will cause the animal to move away) and point of balance (the point, usually around the front shoulder, at which pressure in front of that point will cause the animal to stop or back up, and vice versa). When a stockman is at the edge of the flight zone and properly balanced, only slight movements are needed to control the animals in a low-stress manner. To make cattle speed up, walk against their direction of travel; to make them slow down, walk with them. As you pass the point of balance, notice how each animal responds to your movement and position.
A good stockman will stay quiet when working cattle. If cattle aren't doing what you want, it is not because they can't hear or see you. It is because you are in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Don't yell and scream, and don't make wild movements. Move calmly, purposefully and in straight lines. Cattle will be able to predict your movements and respond appropriately to them. If you move like a predator (hesitating, followed by sudden movements and in curves around them), the cattle will treat you like a predator.
A good stockman is patient. The cattle don't care that you are late for dinner. Keep doing the right things until the cattle respond correctly. After you have mastered the art of stockmanship, you can usually work cattle quickly when you need to. But realize that if you make cattle do something before they are ready to do it, then it is no longer low-stress handling.
Train cattle how to behave every time you are with them. Go to the pen or pasture, and use these techniques to just move them around, teaching them to respond. If possible, move cattle through your corrals on their way to feed or to another pasture. Always make your cattle walk past you, single file, out of a gate. Don't let them run wildly, or they will hurt themselves and you, tear up your gates and be stressed when they finally stop. When moving cattle from a pasture, ignore the few cattle that quit the herd. If you drive the main herd in a low-stress manner, and don't chase the few on the edge, they will usually come back to the herd of their own volition. Work to incorporate these habits, and they will make you a better stockman. And don't say, "I'll try." "Try" is an excuse to fail. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperatings serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
A good cattle handler understands two key principals: flight zone (the "bubble" around an animal that, if invaded by a handler, will cause the animal to move away) and point of balance (the point, usually around the front shoulder, at which pressure in front of that point will cause the animal to stop or back up, and vice versa). When a stockman is at the edge of the flight zone and properly balanced, only slight movements are needed to control the animals in a low-stress manner. To make cattle speed up, walk against their direction of travel; to make them slow down, walk with them. As you pass the point of balance, notice how each animal responds to your movement and position.
A good stockman will stay quiet when working cattle. If cattle aren't doing what you want, it is not because they can't hear or see you. It is because you are in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Don't yell and scream, and don't make wild movements. Move calmly, purposefully and in straight lines. Cattle will be able to predict your movements and respond appropriately to them. If you move like a predator (hesitating, followed by sudden movements and in curves around them), the cattle will treat you like a predator.
A good stockman is patient. The cattle don't care that you are late for dinner. Keep doing the right things until the cattle respond correctly. After you have mastered the art of stockmanship, you can usually work cattle quickly when you need to. But realize that if you make cattle do something before they are ready to do it, then it is no longer low-stress handling.
Train cattle how to behave every time you are with them. Go to the pen or pasture, and use these techniques to just move them around, teaching them to respond. If possible, move cattle through your corrals on their way to feed or to another pasture. Always make your cattle walk past you, single file, out of a gate. Don't let them run wildly, or they will hurt themselves and you, tear up your gates and be stressed when they finally stop. When moving cattle from a pasture, ignore the few cattle that quit the herd. If you drive the main herd in a low-stress manner, and don't chase the few on the edge, they will usually come back to the herd of their own volition. Work to incorporate these habits, and they will make you a better stockman. And don't say, "I'll try." "Try" is an excuse to fail. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperatings serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
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