Analyzing Your Forage
Cattlenetwork.com
Forage quality changes with maturity and storage. A forage test can supply useful information about the nutritive value of hay or pasture. This information can be used to adjust the amount of supplement fed. If forage quality is high, the producer can feed less supplement, resulting in savings. Conversely, if the forage quality is low, diet supplementation can improve animal performance, and increase profits. This article discusses how to take a forage sample and how to interpret the laboratory results.
Taking a forage sample: Forage testing forms can be obtained from many county Extension offices or from the website of the lab you plan to use. Several labs are listed here. These forms contain complete instructions on how to collect forage samples. Proper collection and identification of a sample is very important. A tool is needed to collect hay samples. Your local Extension office may have a Penn State Forage Sampler or similar device. A hay sampler consists of a long tube with a cutting edge on one end and a shank on the other that can be fastened to an electric drill or hand brace.
