Question on hay

[nathan104]

We are overwintring two calves that are approx 400-500 lbs right now. This is our first time buying hay for the winter.

I have a guy offering me hay at $2/square bale. around 50lbs bales. He said it is from last year and is bahia hay. He has it for $2 a bale and year old coastal for $4/bale.

Would year old bahia be alright for my cows? Bahia is whats in my pasture right now. Im buying 120 bales so the $2 a bale versus the $4-$5 a bale is a big difference in cost. But, if it will not be good, Ill spend what I need to. I dont want them starving or losing a bunch of weight on the hay.

Would appreciate the help. Thanks.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

As the hay gets older, the nutrient levels go down. Also, old bales are prone to fungus/mold type problems. Since your goal is to put weight on, I'd take a pass on the "bargain"...

RF

[rambler]

Are you mostly only feeding the hay?

Or are you feeding a fair amount of grain, and the hay is more or less filler to keep them from being hungry?

In the 1970's dad had me fork out the loose hay from the one side of the barn, in it I found a newspaper from 1951. The folks figured that was about right, back when loose hay was still put up.....

The cattle loved it, showed no problems, ate & gained well. But, we also feed a ration of grain as the main energy for them.

Assuming it was stored & kept well, I'd sure use it. But if you are trying hay only for feed, then it does lose a little bit of nutritional value over time, something to factor into your feed equation. Not very much in one extra year, but depends on how it was handled or stored.

--->Paul

[Alice In TX/MO]

If it's been in a barn, I'd take it in a heart beat!!!!!!!!!:banana02:

[glenn amolenaar]

Several years ago a neighbor asked if I could use some free hay. Never could pass up a deal it was 4-7 years old stored in a barn her brother just put hay up and added new to old stacks. My cows passed up the new crop hay and cleaned up the old hay. Older hay drops in quality but I think for the price I would go with the lower price. Glenn