Below is some information and factsheets below that may be useful about hay and forage that is put up too wet.
The upshot is that when hay is put up too wet it can undergo a process called called enzymatic browning that promotes a process called the Maillard reaction. This occurs in the presence of protein and sugars when forage overheats. The resulting “Maillard” products will make protein in forage unavailable to the animal and hay may be unsuitable for ruminant digestion. The only means I know of determining the level of heat damage is by analyzing the forage for ADIN (Acid Detergent Insoluble Nitrogen). This value can be compared to total protein and the level of damage determined. I know of no one on campus who does this. One of the regional forage labs would conduct this routinely.
- High temperatures in bales (>170°F) can result in reactions between proteins and sugars called the Maillard reaction
- Hay impacted by Maillard reactions will be sweet/tobacco smelling and brown/caramel colored
- While highly palatable, the reaction creating this hay ties up protein, making it unusable for animal digestion
- If significant signs of Maillard reactions are seen in your hay, add a Head Damaged Protein (HDP) test to your forage analysis to get accurate Crude Protein contents for feeding decisions
- Caramelized hay also has a high likelihood of containing larger than normal amounts of mold growth. Feeding free choice is a good option to minimize risk when feeding moldy hay
- Please don’t forget other contaminants that can be concerns in wet or dry years such as mycotoxins, nitrates, etc.
- Diluting the bad forage with good forage or grain is a possibility
- Check with an extension agent or other authority before feeding
The following two University of Nebraska factsheets may be helpful.
Please don’t forget other contaminants that can be concerns in wet or dry years such as mycotoxins, nitrates, etc.
Now that some of our spring planted crops have finished, rather than leaving fields fallow or replanting fields that may have had some issues with plant diseases or insect pests, consider replanting with a summer cover crop. It is not too late to take advantage of summer cover crop benefits. What do summer cover crops do for soil health or future crop improvements? See below:
otherwise be lost. The cover crop plant takes up the nitrogen and after the crop is incorporated it decomposes, thus releasing the N for subsequent crops to use. If legume cover crops are planted, they have the ability to “fix” nitrogen from the atmosphere and through the same decomposition process will provide N for subsequent crops. Be sure to inoculate legume seed just prior to planting with Rhizobium bacteria in order to gain the maximum N fixation benefits. 