# How to tell if hay was rained on



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

So my friend has what appears to be second cutting grass hay. He says his two nigerians goats are not interested in the hay. I stopped by to check it out and is doesn't have a strong grass hay smell. Almost like it had seen significant ran after cutting. Does anyone have any tips, other than obviously testing it, to know if it might have been rained on? I plan on having some tested on Monday. They guy supposedly has a whole barn full and is selling it my friend at $3 a bale. This sounds suspect since we are in a major shortage around here, especially second cutting. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Justin


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Well it still has decent color so I would not think that it was much of a rain event/delay. With that said, it does appear that it may have some sedge in it, but I cannot be certain without close inspection. Goats sometimes are not very fond of grasses. I think you are on the right road of having it tested. If you have any horses or your friends have you could let them try a bale out for you and see how the ponies reacted.

Regards, Mike


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

Thanks Mike! In the mean time, I'll probably grab a bale and give to me sheep and see how they react to it. I might be able to get some oat hay tomorrow and let the goats try that.

Justin



Vol said:


> Well it still has decent color so I would not think that it was much of a rain event/delay. With that said, it does appear that it may have some sedge in it, but I cannot be certain without close inspection. Goats sometimes are not very fond of grasses. I think you are on the right road of having it tested. If you have any horses or your friends have you could let them try a bale out for you and see how the ponies reacted.
> 
> Regards, Mike


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Broomsedge (broomstraw) doesn't have a pleasant sweet aroma when dry, rather bitter in my opinion when from extremely poor soil. When rained on, broomsedge will bleach faster than grass, over mature the tillers will be very brown.

I don't think it was rained on. Looks like early growth broomstraw.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I wouldn’t care if it was rained on as long as it was put up dry. People get hung up on rain as a catastrophe but it doesn’t have to be. As mentioned, there’s probably a plant species in it that they don’t like.


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I agree with Mike hay in photo has too much green color to have recieved any significant rainfall. IMHO experience significant rain will bleach the green color from hay. Length of time hay lays on the ground severely affects it's quality.


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

That's interesting that it might be broomsedge. I'll asked my buddy to ask the guy what species of grass it is. I will try and get some real nice up close photos today. The testing will definitely tell me though. It's a shame, as it's real nice feeling hay and looks like it was run through a conditioner/rollers as the stems are nice and flat. That smell though.

BTW, I appreciate everyone that has weighed in.

Justin


----------



## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

I don't think it has been rained on either. It looks to me more like there is some over mature material there. Hay that has laid too long or been rained on has a more uniformly dull color to it typically. This has more variation of nice dried green stems and leaves and some brown stems and leaves.


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

My grandpa would is set in Pennsylvania Dutch, It's some rank in their it rotted on the stack not off the stalk... . I see Hey like that sometimes usually its 1st and 2nd cutting made both at the same time


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

No bloom in any of this hay.



endrow said:


> My grandpa would is set in Pennsylvania Dutch, It's some rank in their it rotted on the stack not off the stalk... . I see Hey like that sometimes usually its 1st and 2nd cutting made both at the same time


----------



## TJ Hendren (May 12, 2017)

It has some, not much young broomsedge or sagegrass as we call it here and some regular foxtail not the giant strain. Cattle will eat both but I don't know about other species. The brownish stuff is definitely a strain of foxtail, know it well. In fact I posted some id pics of it on here last summer.


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

I retract my statement that it doesn't have bloom in it. Just not seed head that I am typically familiar with in hay. There is some crabgrass in it too. My sheep aren't too interested in it either. They do have first cutting OG/Tim in their feeder though. Lol!


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

In case anyone happens to stumble across this thread.

https://ipm.missouri.edu/IPCM/2014/5/Weed-of-the-Month-The-Foxtails/

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/broomsedge


----------



## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

Could it be that some manure was spread on the field affecting the flavor? years ago there was a chicken farm in the area that spread liquid on hay fields during the summer and cattle didn't like 2nd and 3 crop.


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Your new pics verified it's broomsedge (broomstraw), the fluffy seed is the dead giveaway. An animal will only eat it when there is nothing else.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Definitely has a lot of broomsedge among others in it. The flat stem is very typical of broomsedge. Animals will graze early growth broomsedge somewhat, but when it has gotten close to maturity it is worthless with practically nil in nutrient values.

Regards, Mike


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I see a lot of brown leaves in the picture which leads me to think that there is probably a fungus infestation in the field. Since the picture is second cutting, there should be minimal dead leaves in the picture.

Just thinking....

Ralph


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

Dropped off a sample yesterday to be tested. Should have the results back by Wednesday.


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

I think having forage is tested is good practice. Do not want to sound like a doomsayer .But I have seen forages come back terrible by way of the numbers and yet the cattle eat them well.. I have also seen the same thing vice versa... There are some weeds that almost make hay unedible to cattle , ,. And yet I don't think anything will show up in your basic forge test, For that same matter that we'd could have half decent protein ahd fiberlevels.


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

This is what my friend said his source said about the hay. Lol!

"I talked to my hay guy this morning. He is out of hay until mid May. Hay consists mostly of fescue, orchard and a few other mixed grasses."


----------



## ja_cain (Dec 9, 2019)

Here are the results. Definitely subpar hay.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Just my opinion (could be mightily stupid even), going back and looking at your pictures, then looking at your test results, got me wondering. With the brown stuff in the hay, what could cause this?

You said it was 2nd cutting, so that should rule out last years growth (or does it?). Is the brown stuff from a possible 2nd cutting re-growth, after 1st was removed, that died from say: lack of moisture? Drought conditions in MY area could create such a case, IDK about your area. In any case, the brown stuff most likely is influencing the test results badly, IMHO.

Personally, I have had some hay that was washed a lot, looked a lot worse than your pictures, that still had a CP of over 9% (but it was almost pure alfalfa stems, after getting raked 4-5 times ). The cows probably ate about 50%, before they turned it into bedding. I have seen grass hay test below 7%, but it was real over ripe OG (your pictures don't look like it did by far).

Larry


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Larry, it's just how broomstraw dries. I don't know the rhyme or reason, never really cared as it's literally worthless forage unless it's all you have. Still to get any value out of it as filler you have to grind and mix with Supplements.


----------

