# Whats a good RVF?



## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

SO, after taking it in the shorts on some 2nd cutting 70% Alfalfa 30%OC at the hay auction(needed to make room for 4th cutting), I decided to turn to hayexchange.com to list some hay, and just see what happens. Ive never had much luck there, but what the heck, its free. Anyhow, I see A LOT of untested hay for sale, which suprises me. But what surprised me even more, was the low, or what I THINK is low RFV on 1st cutting hay, and or just hay in general. I have some 1st cutting that I tested, and it was a 108 RVF. Based on what I saw on hay exchange, my 1st cutting is great! Though I suspect that's not the case, as much as theres just a good bit of hay that's not very good. Looking for some thoughts.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

RFV 150> dairy hay
RFV 125 heifer and calf hay
RFV 100<. Fat cattle,Stock cow hay.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Highest RFV I've ever had was 194, and that was some prime stuff. Usually around that 120-130 is what I shoot for, otherwise I have to supplement with too much bought protein, which gets expensive.

108 is very good for first cutting. Ours usually gets so rank and nasty, we just chop it to get it off the field and get ready for 2nd cutting.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

stack em up said:


> Usually around that 120-130 is what I shoot for, otherwise I have to supplement with too much bought protein, which gets expensive.


I agree 100% but the nutritionists and feed salesman convince many to feed poor roughage and then buy more protein from them instead of getting it in the hay.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

There is more to the feed test than just rfv. My highest last year I think was 136 but only 9% protein. Than 128 rfv at 10% protein. Than 122 at 16% protein.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

Utility under 135

Fair 135-150

Good 150-170

Premium 170-185

Superior 185+

Cutting alfalfa at 16" with *no bloom or bud* will give you a RFV of 200-240 depending on how many leaves you retain after bailing.

18" 200-224

24" 160-180

With Bloom subtract about 20 points from above. With heavy leaf shatter subtract another 10-30 points. Rain damage subtract even more. Top alfalfa in Western auctions grades to 185+


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

Do you go by crude or soluble prot? Crude was 13 and Sol was 33. I should have asked the question better. I was looking to see if that's good for 1st cutting, or if the others were just that poor. Id LOVE to have the points youre talking about Hugh, but here in the Midwest, that's hard to reach. Well, and the fact that Ive only got 70% Alfalfa 30% OG. Last year I had 2nd crop of the same mix his 146, and that raised some eyebrows around here. Im not planting any more mix. Next year Im putting in another 25-30 acres of straight Alfalfa, and going after the high end market. The average hay market around here is just too competitive. I want to stand out.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

If you want great RFV, then you will need to cut when the plants are 16-18" and have little bud and no bloom. The big trick is to avoid leaf shatter. This is a big problem. I would go to Roundup Ready alfalfa. I suppose you know you can't plant alfalfa after alfalfa. You will need burn down the existing alfalfa and then to wait a few months or a year. This is very good info on RFV: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/dairyteam/peaq/PEAQ.pdf


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

RFV results will vary greatly between different labs. I know it shouldn't be that way but it is. Locally here we have the hay farmer friendly lab and the dairy farmer friendly lab. Guess which lab the dairy farmer uses for buying hay.

Whats more important is what quality does your market want. Not every dairy wants 200 RFV. It depends upon the ration they are feeding and how long they want the cows to last. The only way to know is to ask them what they want.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

The daries around here either want something high protein like alfalfa second cut or something high in energy like second cut grass. It all depends on what they are short of in there ration. Also the daries around here value ADF and NDF more the rfv.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

Jay in WA said:


> RFV results will vary greatly between different labs.


There are certified labs that are tested themselves and graded for consistency. Do a search and you will find one.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

Thanks for the advice guys. Im not going to rip up the seeding I have, but Instead I am adding more ground. I will be planting 100% RR alfalfa from now on out. If I keep what I have, not only is it a good stand finally, I am more diversified in what I can sell. I can sell hay that's good quality, but not so high RVF, or I can sell the higher RVF.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Why not RFQ for the hay with grass in?


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Good question HiTech.

Sometimes my RFV and RFQ are very close to the same.

Sometimes there is 40-50 points different with the RFQ being higher.


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