Are you looking for a Hay Buying Guide for North Georgia Farmers? You’ve come to the right place. For farmers in North Georgia, hay is more than just feed. It’s a critical investment in the health and productivity of your livestock. As pastures go dormant and winter sets in, a reliable supply of quality hay becomes the backbone of your feeding program. However, buying hay involves more than just finding the lowest price per bale. Understanding how to assess quality, arrange logistics, and store it properly is essential to ensure your investment pays off.
This guide provides North Georgia farmers with practical advice for navigating the hay market. We’ll cover how to identify high-quality hay, match it to your animals’ needs, manage delivery, and protect your supply from the region’s notorious humidity. Following these steps will help you secure the best value and keep your livestock thriving through the feeding season. Don’t forget to visit us! Cherokee Feed & Seed takes great pride in the quality of our hay. Learn more about our selection here.
Decoding Hay Quality: What to Look For
Not all hay is created equal. The nutritional value can vary dramatically based on the type of forage, when it was cut, and how it was cured and stored. Learning to evaluate hay is the most important skill you can develop as a buyer.
1. Visual Inspection
Your eyes are your first and best tool. Before committing to a purchase, inspect the hay closely.
- Color: Look for a bright green color, which indicates the hay was cut at an early stage of maturity and cured quickly. A pale yellow or bleached color suggests it was either rained on after cutting or exposed to excessive sunlight, which leaches out vitamins. A dark brown or black color signals mold or heat damage from being baled too wet.
- Maturity: Examine the plants in the bale. You want to see lots of leaves and fine stems, as leaves contain most of the protein and digestible nutrients. If you see thick, woody stems and prominent seed heads, the hay was cut too late. It will be higher in fiber but lower in energy and protein.
- Foreign Material: Check for weeds, sticks, dirt, and trash. A little bit might be unavoidable, but excessive foreign material reduces the feed value and can even be harmful to your animals. Also, look for signs of blister beetles, particularly in alfalfa hay, as they are toxic to livestock.
2. Smell and Feel
Engage your other senses. Good hay should have a fresh, sweet, and pleasant smell. A musty, moldy, or “off” odor is a clear sign of spoilage, which can cause respiratory issues and digestive upset in animals.
Feel the hay. It should be soft and pliable. Hay that feels coarse or brittle was likely too mature when cut. Also, stick your hand as deep as you can into the center of a few bales. It should feel cool. Any warmth indicates that the hay was baled with too much moisture and is undergoing microbial activity, which creates heat, burns up nutrients, and poses a serious fire risk.
3. Consider a Forage Analysis
While a sensory evaluation is a great field test, the only way to know the exact nutritional content of your hay is through a forage analysis. For a large purchase, asking the seller for a recent analysis or taking your own sample for testing is a wise investment. Your local UGA Extension office can help with this process. An analysis provides precise data on protein, fiber, and energy content, allowing you to perfectly match the hay to your livestock’s nutritional requirements.
Matching Hay to Livestock Needs
The “best” hay depends on the animals you are feeding. Different livestock have different nutritional demands.
- Grass Hay (Fescue, Bermuda, Orchardgrass): This is the workhorse hay for most North Georgia farms. It is an excellent choice for mature, non-lactating animals like horses in light work, dry cows, and wethers (castrated male goats). It provides essential fiber and moderate energy. For fescue, always ask if it is a “novel endophyte” or “endophyte-free” variety to avoid the health problems associated with toxic endophyte fescue.
- Legume Hay (Alfalfa, Clover): Legume hays are significantly higher in protein, calcium, and energy. Alfalfa is often called the “queen of forages” and is ideal for animals with high nutritional needs, such as lactating dairy cows or goats, does in late pregnancy, or young, rapidly growing animals. However, it can be too rich for less active animals and can contribute to urinary calculi in male small ruminants if not balanced properly.
- Mixed Hay: A mix of grass and legumes often provides a good balance of nutrients and can be a versatile option for many types of livestock.
The Logistics of Hay Delivery
Once you’ve found the right hay, you need to get it to your farm. Careful planning can save you time, money, and headaches.
Calculating Your Needs
First, determine how much hay you need. A simple formula can give you a good estimate:
(Number of Animals) x (Daily Hay Intake) x (Number of Feeding Days) = Total Hay Needed
As a rule of thumb, most livestock will consume 2-2.5% of their body weight in dry forage per day. For a 1,000-pound cow, that’s 20-25 pounds of hay daily. Always add a buffer of at least 20% to account for waste and unexpected needs, like a longer-than-usual winter.
Arranging Transport
When discussing a purchase, be clear about delivery logistics.
- Who is responsible for transport? Some sellers offer delivery for a fee, while others require you to arrange your own transportation.
- What are the site access requirements? Can a large truck and trailer access your property and get to your storage area? Discuss any potential issues like tight turns, narrow gates, or muddy fields beforehand.
- Who unloads the hay? Will the driver help unload, or is that your responsibility? Do you have the equipment (like a tractor with a front-end loader) and labor ready to go when the truck arrives?
Clarifying these points upfront prevents misunderstandings and ensures a smooth delivery process.
Proper Hay Storage in a Humid Climate
In North Georgia, our high humidity is the enemy of stored hay. Moisture is the primary cause of spoilage, nutrient loss, and fire risk. Protecting your hay investment requires proper storage.
- Elevate Your Hay: Never store hay directly on the ground. The ground wicks moisture directly into the bottom layer of bales, causing them to rot. Use pallets, gravel, or even a thick layer of old tires to create an air gap between the ground and your hay.
- Provide a Roof: The most effective way to protect hay is to store it in a barn or under a dedicated shed. This shields it from rain and sun, preserving its quality. If a barn isn’t an option, a tightly secured, high-quality hay tarp is the next best thing. Ensure the tarp is angled to shed water away from the stack.
- Ensure Airflow: Do not stack hay tight against a barn wall or cram it into a space with no ventilation. Good airflow helps dissipate any moisture within the bales. When stacking, some farmers alternate the direction of each layer to improve stack stability and airflow.
- First In, First Out: When you buy new hay, stack it behind your existing inventory so you use the oldest hay first.
A well-stored bale can retain most of its nutritional value for years, while a poorly stored bale can become worthless in a matter of months.
Actionable Steps for Smart Hay Buying
To get the best return on your hay investment, follow this simple checklist:
- Assess Before You Buy: Always inspect hay using your eyes, nose, and hands. If it looks, smells, or feels wrong, walk away.
- Match Hay to Your Herd: Choose the right type of hay based on the specific nutritional needs of your animals.
- Plan Your Logistics: Calculate how much hay you need and clarify all delivery and unloading details before money changes hands.
- Store It Right: Protect your purchase from the elements by storing it off the ground, under cover, and with adequate ventilation.
By being a diligent and informed buyer, you can ensure your livestock have the high-quality forage they need to stay healthy and productive, no matter what a North Georgia winter throws your way.
by Lyndsy Bradley – Red Mango Marketing Agribusiness Expert