Hay storage and feeding strategies to minimize loss and maximize value

In our part of the world, making dry hay is always a challenge. In most years it seems the weather pattern never matches our grasses’ growth stage to harvest forage (as dry hay) at the peak of quality and quantity. We may luck out and get one of our intended cuttings “made right,” but it is rare to have the perfect hay season.

This year we had the spring moisture to produce sufficient yields, but the untimely rains prevented us from getting it dry enough to store. Then the late summer drought lowered our production but allowed you to get it dry enough for storage.

The same drought severely limited pasture growth and may have forced you to dip into your hay supplies earlier than planned. Diminished hay supplies may make the bales you have on hand a precious commodity. There are steps you can take to stretch your current supply and get the most out of what you have on hand.

Every step in the process of making hay, storing the hay and feeding the bales results in some level of dry matter loss, and with the 2025 harvest season in the books, I would like to provide some thoughts on hay storage and feeding practices to limit hay waste.

A study conducted in 2019 at the University of Tennessee evaluated storage methods and dry matter loss for round bales. The hay was harvested in June, weighed and stored until January, when it was reweighed to determine dry-matter loss. They found bales stored on the ground with no cover lost 37% of the original dry matter content, stored on tires with no cover lost 29%, stored on the ground and covered lost 29%, stored on tires and covered lost 8%, net wrapped and stored on the ground lost 19%, and stored in the barn lost 6%.

There aren’t many who are blessed with the ability to store all their hay under a roof, but there are some standard recommendations for storing bales outside. The key component is to choose a well-drained site. The ground should remain firm for most of the year and sloped so it quickly sheds water following any rain. If you have issues locating an ideal area, you can consider installing a heavy-use pad to provide a solid base for your storage area.

Bales can be stacked and a rain tarp used to cover them, providing an additional shield from the weather. If you are unable to use a multi-bale cover, bales can be placed in single rows, running north to south, with the flat edges butted tightly together and about 3 feet between rows of bales. The north-south orientation and space between bales help them to dry faster following a weather event. If you can’t place the bales north to south, place them up and down the slope so they aren’t creating a water dam.

Your feeding method can produce dry matter losses as high or higher than your potential storage loss. Research from the University of Missouri in 1973 found cattle can waste up to 45% of the hay they are provided when allowed unrestricted access to bales fed on the ground without a hay ring. To combat this, the simplest way to control loss is to limit the amount of hay provided at one time.

A separate University of Missouri Extension publication titled “Reducing Losses When Feeding Hay to Beef Cattle” provided a comparison of potential dry-matter loss between various feeding systems and the amount of hay provided.

When providing a one-day supply in a hay rack, losses were less than 5%, whereas unrolling enough hay on the ground to last a week resulted in a 43% loss. The main benefit is that by feeding a set amount of hay each day, you help your animals develop a feeding routine that will encourage them to consume a greater proportion of the hay provided. Although I couldn’t find a direct reference for this article, I have been told by a reproductive physiologist that feeding cattle their hay allotment later in the evening will encourage them to calve during the day more often.

There isn’t one feeding system that will fit every operation, but there are several key concepts to consider:

—Feed your outside stored hay first.

—Sample your forages and supplement when necessary to ensure you are meeting your livestock’s nutrient requirements.

—Feed hay in small amounts. Ideally, this would be a one-day supply at a time.

—Utilize hay rings and/or bale feeders.

—Feed hay in well-drained areas and rotate locations through the winter-feeding area.

—If you utilize a bale grazing system, consider only setting out enough bales to meet your livestock's needs for two weeks at a time.

As we enter the holiday season, programming at the OSU Extension in Wayne County slows down as we begin to prepare for a busy new year. We are finalizing the winter schedule and will make announcements shortly. The best way to keep up to date on what programs we will offer is to sign up for the OSU Extension-Wayne County Ag Newsletter. The next edition will come out in the first week of January.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list, you can contact our office and provide your email or U.S. mailing address. You also can monitor our events calendar on the OSU Extension Wayne County website at wayne.osu.edu. As always, I hope you have a safe and prosperous harvest season. If you have any questions, call me at 330-264-8722 or email yost.77@osu.edu.