Make hay while sun shines
RICKY THOMPSON

During extended periods of wet weather, hay producers who still have hair havejust about pulled all of it out wondering when to try to cut and bale hay.

There are times when you have no choice when you see that the rains are going to continue. You cut and hope you can get it baled. Over the past few weeks we have had periods like this, and everyone is trying to make hay before the season ends.

Probably the most damaging two things that happens to wet hay is that it will lose its green color. This is only the loss of vitamin A, which is easy to replace in the diet of livestock.

The other thing is the bad one, when hay is baled too wet and overheats. That causes dark mold and rotten areas. When this happens you do lose much of the feed value in the forage.

Hay that is cut and baled damp may develop a light white color, dust or mold. This usually does not bother cattle but can be a problem when it is used for horses. The dark moldy can even cause problems when fed to cattle.

When hay is rained on, several factors determine the nutritional value of the hay:

1. What was the protein value of the hay prior to getting wet?

2. How much rainfall did the hay receive, and how soon after being cut did the hay get wet?

3. How long did the hay have to lay before it was dry enough to be baled?

During periods of extended wet weather the major feed value loss comes from letting the hay grow past the best cutting time. Once the grass passes 28 to 30 days of age, you get more bales per acre but the protein content drops and other feed nutrients become more indigestible.

Hay that is over six weeks of age usually requires protein and energy supplements to keep cattle in good condition.

Producers looking to buy or sell hay should call the County Extension office at 384-3721. Give your name, size, how many and cost of the bales. This list will be compiled for livestock owners' reference.

Ricky Thompson is the Texas Cooperative extension agent for Jasper County.