# Stress Hay’s Value To Dairy Customers...



## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Out of latest Hay and Forage e-weekly (also if you do no subscribe check the links section for their website...great magazine).... http://hayandforage.com/

Stress Hay's Value To Dairy Customers 
With feed prices pushing into the stratosphere, many dairy producers are questioning how much hay they can afford to feed at current price levels. Hay growers selling into dairy markets may want to steer their clients to the following calculations offered by North Dakota extension dairy specialist J.W. Schroeder. "Be aware that hay can improve rumen digestion and microbial growth," says Schroeder. "Adding 5 lbs of high-quality (170 relative feed value) hay could improve milk yield by 3-5 lbs. If milk is worth 18 cents/pound, each pound of hay would be worth 11-18 cents/pound, or $220-360/ton." Schroeder advises dairy producers to make changes gradually, by 1-lb increments, and to closely monitor responses in the herd when adding or removing hay.

He also has advice for dairy producers thinking of adding straw to the ration to reduce forage needs. "One guideline is 1 lb of straw dry matter to replace 3 lbs of hay/hay silage dry matter due to straw's higher lignin content and longer rumen retention time. But adding too much straw will affect total dry matter intake, reducing nutrient levels and milk yield. Before adding straw, evaluate the current ration levels of NDF, lignin and ADF, and determine what the straw will add. I recommend adding 0.5 lb of straw to the ration and monitoring cow response - milk yield, milk components and manure score - for one to two weeks. If the response is favorable, consider adding another 0.5 lb. Adding more than 2 lbs of straw may be too much."


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