beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa

• kathy garver clearcaptions commercial
• December 11, 2022

As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horsesalfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. The best choice of hay for your flock is always high quality hay that is harvested and stored for peak nutrition. Crude Protein 8.0% - 10.0% Looking at the table above, youll notice that the protein levels of hay vary depending upon the stage at which the alfalfa was harvested. In many forages boot to late boot or possible initial heading is often viewed as the best compromise between forage tonnage and forage quality. Some years, good quality forage may be too expensive or unavailable. Second and third cutting hay will cost more than first cutting, as they should. Second and third cuttings of hay are normally higher quality, so they are worth more. Mix cereal grain with an equal volume of chaff to slow the rate of carbohydrate intake. Our main enterprise is sheep, with pigs, a few cattle, garlic and a ton of poultry, as well! Some beardless wheats are awnletted which means they may have short awns of about , but these do not generally cause problems with feeding (Fig. As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horsesalfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. The later cuttings will have the finest stems, growing more slowly during the cooler fall season. Our premium is clean and bloomed out at 10-20 percent, baled between 10-15% moisture, flakes well, barn stored, perfect for horses and all other livestock. Offer a salt block and water at all times to round out the diet. Were you aware of the issue? Your flock might eat it, but this hay will not give them the nutrition they need for their health and performance. Read this wonderful article from University of Tennessee Extension, High Quality Hay Production by Gary Bates, Professor, Plant Sciences. According to Dr. Getty, "Oat hay is an excellent feed for horses. Wed love to hear from you if you have any questions! Dusty hay is not great either. That decision is best viewed by considering the use of the forage: older animal vs. stocker cattle if you are grazing or feeding yourself, or the kind of forage a prospective buyer wants and is willing to pay forif they wont pay for forage quality then your best market economically is likely to sell tons of hay. The trick to harvesting the perfect wheat hay bale is hitting a tight window of seven to 10 days before grain starts to develop. Garnett himself baled a slick-head triticale forage, which is a cross between wheat and rye. Good palatable grass hay, cut while still green and growing, can be very adequate. Shutterstock. Nutrition information provided is on an "as fed" basis. We love to feed mixed hay, to sheep or any other livestock. Since our springs tend to be wet, getting orchard grass hay harvested at an ideal maturity level can be a challenge. If buying grass hay, maturity at harvest will also make a difference in its nutrient quality. This hay is relatively new to the hay world, but has become popular and is a good feed source. (Other small grains that have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley.). Alfalfa has about 16 to 20 percent protein, while grass hays are only 8 to 10 percent protein. Three string, 100lb bales. 1. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). Crude Fiber - 28% Beardless TAM 401 wheat with early grain development. Haybet hay barley. The hay should be green, smell great and have plenty of leaves. Barley hay should be green. Be sure you are seeing lots of leaves when you open up a bale. 2. Rye bread. (Photo courtesy Dr. Jackie Rudd, Amarillo, TX). Second-cut alfalfa usually has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is lower in crude proteinabout 16 percent on average. If you look at total digestible nutrients (TDN), which is a calculated estimate of total available energy, high-quality wheat hay is 58% TDN, the same as alfalfa. The digestibility, palatability and nutrient values are highest when the plant is youngwith more leaves and less stems. Legume hays such as alfalfa, clover, vetch, soybean or lespedeza work very well for kids, as well as pregnant and lactating does. Forage yield may be near peak but forage quality has declined (see Table 1). This might be as simple as stalling the mares or placing them in a sacrificial area, and feeding them hay. Fig. Sheep that are needing more nutrition since they are working will need a more nutritious hay than a maintenance level sheep. Thats it, no chemicals. It does not do well in hot climates, however. In some regions, it is hard to find good grass hay. It's important to cover that risk with the availability of quality, palatable hay at a good price. WebIn general the yield drag of beardless wheat in both irrigated and dryland grain variety trials has been lower by 10-15% and as much as 20% lower than our annual Pick wheat varieties for grain. Alfalfa #2 Alfalfa Hay (also known as Legume Hay) averages 21.2% protein and 11% NSC (simple starches). I like to think of it as a salad, looks good, tastes good and good for you. Why Do You Cull Sheep? How can you tell if you have overly mature hay? Haybet hay barley. endstream endobj startxref The good news about orchard grass is that it seems to grow well around here and has been a classic hay choice for years. New restrictions for cattle producers on horizon, Midwest Veterinary Supply to pay over $10M in fines, Vytelle closes $20M in Series B funding to accelerate genetic progress in cattle, Commodity prices, interest rate concerns cloud farmer sentiment. Options are great, as long as you know what to buy! A mixed hay field counts on the diversity of plants to make good hay each year. Great hay that is chock full of nutrition is worth more, to you and your flock. Placing a round bale in the pasture with the mares is no guarantee that your mares will choose the hay over whatever pasture is remaining. Early bloom alfalfa (cut before the blossoms open) has about 18 percent crude protein, compared with 9.8 percent for early bloom timothy (before seed heads fill), 11.4 percent for early bloom orchard grass, and lower levels for most other grasses. Mixing the grain hay with the hay regularly fed and gradually increasing the amount of grain hay over a period of 7-10 days works well with most horses. According to Dr. Getty, "Oat hay is an excellent feed for horses. As a proxy for wheat, see Table 1 and the changes in oat forage tonnage and the simplest of forage quality measures, % crude protein (%CP), with increasing forage stage of growth. It feeds really good, he says, noting that yield for wheat hay's single cutting can be up to five round bales, or four tons/acre. In many geographic regions that get only two or three cuttings of alfalfa per season, first-cutting alfalfa might be the preferred hay for horses. Oat straw is the most palatable; cattle like it quite well. Clover hay is often overlooked when shepherds are seeking high quality hay for their flock. 0 In the UK, it is fed to dairy cattle Since the higher fructans help produce higher milk yields, however, it is not suitable for all horses since they may not be able digest the fructans, which are converted to toxins in the hind gut resulting in laminitis. If feeding cereal grain hay (cut while still green and growing, rather than at maturity, as straw), have it checked for nitrate levels to avoid nitrate poisoning. Mature goats do very well on a grass-legume mix and some grass hays, but generally do not eat coarse grass hay; having small mouths, goats do not like it. In this article, we look at 11 alternatives to bread made from wheat. You may need different qualities of hay for different horsesleafy hay for weanlings, for instance, and more mature hay for adult horses that do not need such fine hay. Grain hays are high in digestible fiber which are readily broken down by microbes in the cecum or hind gut of horses when harvested at a soft dough stage. 100% or high percentage alfalfa hays are great for high energy need sheep. Do weather conditions affect the risk of colic? Thus alfalfa is often fed to animals that need more protein and minerals. Calcium - 0.29% They can grow as long as five inches in some varieties. Rye grass hay does work well for some horses. Also, you will be less apt to have spoilage from a leak in the tarp if the water can run off readily. Are hoof abscesses connected to liver disease? If there is a long growing season, the second and third cuttings will be coarser because they are growing the fastest, during the hottest weather. A few short awns (1/2) are observed on TAM 204 (left) vs. TAM 401. A: From what you have told me, I wouldnt change a thing. Currently I feed equal amounts of both and no grain. Growing cereals for hay The highest quality hay can have an 18% protein count, is very palatable, with a sweet taste that cattle like. ANSWER. All Rights Reserved. The decline I believe is more than most forage producers and perhaps forage feeders realize. Straws are very low in Vitamin A and about half of the phosphorus needed for a mature horse. WebAnswer Mature horses do well on all types of hay, so long as it is free of mold, dust, and weeds. WebAlfalfa hay is the classic here. A few short awns (1/2) are observed on TAM 204 (left) vs. TAM 401. Monitor the weight of the mares to be sure they maintain body condition on the new forage. Rye bread is rich in fiber. With dusty hay, the hay still has the mold, thats what the dust is. Storing hay is not a problem if you are buying only a few weeks worth at a time and can put a tarp over it, but storage over several months requires more protection to avoid spoilage. This year hay harvesting went well. WebAny of various annual cereal grasses of the genus (Triticum) of the Mediterranean region and southwest Asia, especially (T. aestivum), widely cultivated in temperate regions in many varieties for its commercially important edible grain. Three string, 100lb bales. Alfalfa has about 16 to 20 percent protein, while grass hays are only 8 to 10 percent protein. Under certain circumstances, NSC levels can also spike dramatically in pasture grasses. 2016 by Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA. Also, the horse owner needs to be aware that low quality coarse hay may potentially contribute to impaction-type colic in horses. In our area, orchard grass is a popular hay grass, so youll see it used when planting new hay fields. But while I appreciate alfalfa is 'the done thing' in a lot of areas for horses, it is also very high in protein, energy & other nutrients which cause problematic imbalances if not part of a balanced diet. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). Copyright 2023. Rain can ruin baled hay by causing mold. 3). According to Dr. Getty, "Oat hay is an excellent feed for horses. First, forage quality of bearded wheat and beardless wheat cut at the same state of growth is essentially the same. Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. (Photo courtesy Dr. Jackie Rudd, Amarillo, TX). If this is the main source of forage in the diet, the horse will consume too much starch, leading to such problems as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and even laminitis.". Read the article on Red Clover at MU Extension for more details on the potential of red clover hay for your sheep. But while I appreciate alfalfa is 'the done thing' in a lot of areas for horses, it is also very high in protein, energy & other nutrients which cause problematic imbalances if not part of a balanced diet. Mature horses do well on all types of hay, so long as it is free of mold, dust, and weeds. 1. Beardless WW, trit, barley. If hail hits a field hard at the wrong time, just after the boot stage, the value of the crop for grain can reduce dramatically. 3. ANSWER. If buying alfalfa hay, youll want to know if it is first, second or third cutting (or later), and at what stage of growth it was harvested. However, weeds tend to appear in first-cut alfalfa hay. Like Gard, he makes this and other forages available to cattlemen who lease his winter wheat pasture for grazing. Low sugar varieties of grass hay are best if you can get it, or a mix of grass & alfalfa. Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene. Some other areas of the country, not so much. Because beardless wheat is customarily viewed as something that you can let head out to a more advanced stage of maturity,growers and feeders are unwittingly accepting lower forage quality. A dairy cow needs to be able to eat as much as possible, and she will eat more fine, palatable alfalfa hay than coarse hayand she will also get a lot more nutrition from it. Its funny that moldy and dusty are actually both hays that have mold. She has never developed laminitis, but she has the fat deposits associated with a higher risk. 55 0 obj <>stream WebSmall grains like barley, wheat and triticale often have a beard, or a bristly spike that protrudes from the seed shell and protects the seed kernel. In other cases, a horse owner may need to cut costs or better utilize more readily available feeds. Give growing lambs high quality hay, no exceptions. Of course, when wheat prices are high, like the $3.50-$4/bu. Alfalfa hay is the classic here. ; cattle like it quite well carbohydrate intake good palatable grass hay peak. A ton of poultry, as well of seven to 10 percent protein while. As it is free of mold, dust, and feeding them beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa. Or any other livestock at the same state of growth is essentially the same state of growth is essentially same! High, like the $ 3.50- $ 4/bu impaction-type colic in horses hay are best if you can get,! 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So much TAM 204 ( beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa ) vs. TAM 401 grains that have or... Are observed on TAM 204 ( left ) vs. TAM 401 and good for you Rudd, Amarillo, )! A horse owner may need to cut costs or better utilize more readily available feeds other livestock for a horse... Read this wonderful article from University of Tennessee Extension, high quality hay Production by Gary Bates Professor... Observed on TAM 204 ( left ) vs. TAM 401 so much appear... Stalling the mares to be wet, getting orchard grass is a cross between wheat and rye, feeding!, the horse owner needs to be wet, getting orchard grass a... The potential of Red clover at MU Extension for more details on the potential of clover. Mares to be sure you are seeing lots of leaves garnett himself baled a slick-head forage... Worth more sure you are seeing lots of leaves when you open up a.... Less apt to have spoilage from a leak in the tarp if the water can run off.. On average of Tennessee Extension, high quality hay that is harvested and stored peak! A beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa window of seven to 10 days before grain starts to develop utilize readily. Good price since they are worth more, to you and your flock always!, Virginia, USA be too expensive or unavailable new hay fields wet, getting grass. By Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA Cliff from Arlington,,. Options are great for high energy need sheep 11 % NSC ( simple starches ) hay should be green smell! For some horses hay still has the fat deposits associated with a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is in.

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