"Make hay while the sun shines."

That's the old saying. Hopefully we will get some more hay put up this season before we get into fall. Hay harvests have been short for several producers.

It's going to be very important to make sure we get the most possible out of hay supplies this year. There can be some significant losses occurred in hay that is stored outside from now until winter.

However, a barn can be a large expense also. Storing hay under trees seems like a good idea, but hay will actually deteriorate quite a bit if it is stored in a dark, wet place. Outside hay stacks save on land required to store hay, but how efficient are they at conserving hay? How much better is a net-wrapped bale than a string-tied bale?

The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is offering a chance for producers to measure how much hay they are losing during storage. If you would like to participate you may contact the extension service office at 444-1755.

We will set up a simple demonstration-type comparison of two or more different storage methods. Bales will be weighed and tested for moisture and quality at the start of the comparison, then weighed and again tested for moisture and quality during hay feeding season.

Weights will be adjusted for moisture content, and then it will be possible to determine dry matter storage losses. You will also receive a hay analysis on bales at the start of the storage and the end of storage to determine how hay quality has been affected by storage method.

Farm, Pages 5 on 08/24/2009

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