printStock Journal Article - November 2024
Author: Deb Scammell, Talking Livestock
What an interesting and disappointing season we’ve had so far in 2024! The silver lining for livestock producers is the increased volume of hay that has been made due to the widespread frost throughout the state – giving graziers access to higher quality fodder to help meet stock requirements over the long dry period ahead.
Hay and cereal crops germinated late in most areas due to the late break. This and the tough growing conditions has meant that crops which were cut for hay were quite short. As the crop matures in a normal growing season, and the plant gets more height and structure the fibrous component of the plant increases. Due to the reduced plant growth this season the fibre content is much lower in most of the hay produced. On a feed test, you can look at the NDF to determine digestible fibre and this also determines how much of the hay a ruminant can intake in a day. The current seasons cereal hay tested in October has averaged around 47 – 52% NDF which means it is quite low in fibre and daily animal intake will increase substantially on this hay compared to 2023 and especially 2022 hay which was very fibrous.
As hay matures the digestibility starts to decline quickly once it gets past flowering stage. The hay that was cut on time was still very highly digestible (average 65 - 70% digestibility) giving a energy value of around 9 – 10.5 MJ/Kg DM. The frosted cereal crops cut have also been high quality as they were frosted at high digestibility and energy values and then subsequently cut meaning the hay from these is also very good quality. In most cases the non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and sugars are also very high due to the drought conditions.
Crude protein has also been comparatively high, with results ranging from 8.5-11.5% for cereal hay compared to other seasons. As lower yields have been produced over the growing season, available nitrogen hasn’t been diluted as it usually would, so in most cases crude protein content of the hay has increased.
Due to the frost, a lot of canola hay has also been cut. In the past, sheep would sometimes struggle with consuming the stalk in this hay. In most cases this season due to the immaturity of the crop at the time of the frost, it has been less stalky when chopped down and this hay has been more palatable. This canola hay is also high in protein, range from 14 – 16% and energy over 9MJ/KG DM making it quite valuable for livestock feed.
Some of the recently cut hay unfortunately received the rain we’ve all been waiting for! In some areas, hay windrows have had up to 60mm. This has reduced energy content in the hay slightly and livestock producers also need to be careful of the presence of moulds and mycotoxins. When getting a feed test done, a mycotoxin test can also be completed which will assess the risk of any moulds or toxins for animal health or performance.
There is the potential for a supply shortage of cereal straw this season with many areas not being able to cut straw due to lack of bulk on paddocks. This is normally used to supplement stock that are dry or in early gestation. Producers will have to think about rationing out the high-quality cereal hay, as stock will consume this readily and, in most cases, exceed energy requirements for dry stock. Ideally this hay is more suitable for pregnant or lactating ewes or cows later in the season. It is critical to request a feed test when purchasing hay to assess the quality of the hay for your livestock.