List of Hay Types and Quality Ranges

By:  Aubie Keesee, Ext. Ed. Ag / 4-H / CED

The following is a list of some of the more readily available hays around the country. One must remember that hay is only as good as the management practices used to produce it. Before buying any hay you should look at it, see what the maturity of the forage was when cut, and look at the color to determine if it was rained on or put up at high moisture. You should pull a sample and look for mold and foreign material, and last but not least, you should have it tested for nutrient content. The following is a list of ranges for protein and total digestible nutrients as reported in agricultural publications, it should only be used as a guide to compare forage you are familiar with to forage you are unfamiliar with. Again, I cannot stress enough that as a buyer you need to be “aware”, any hay is only going to be as good as the management applied to the growing forage. “Junk hay is junk hay” no matter where it comes from or what type of forage it is.

Alfalfa             - 9 to 26% Crude Protein, 50-67% TDN

Soybean hay    – 16-19% C.P., 55-66% TDN

Bermuda         – 6-18% C.P, 50-58% TDN

Fescue             – 8-16% C.P., 56-66% TDN

Native grass    – 3 – 8% C.P., 46-55% TDN

Weeping Lovegrass – 3-10% C.P., 46-60% TDN

Bahia               – 8-15% C.P.,  46–55% TDN

Timothy           – 8-11% C.P., 56-65% TDN

Orchard grass – 8-16% C.P., 59-63% TDN

Wheatgrass      – 10 -11% C.P., 55-60% TDN

Rye Hay          – 8-10% C.P., 50-55% TDN

Ryegrass          – 8-16% C.P., 50-60% TDN

Crabgrass        – 10-25% C.P., 50-62% TDN

Old world bluestem 6-14% C.P., 50-60 TDN

Johnsongrass   – 6-15% C.P., 55-67% TDN               *Should be tested for high nitrates.

Corn hay         – 5-9% C.P., 50 -55% TDN                *Should be tested for high nitrates.

Sorghum-Sudan – 8-15% C.P., 50 – 58% TDN         *Should be tested for high nitrates.

Pearl Millet      – 8-12% C.P., 50-58% TDN              *Should be tested for high nitrates.

As you can see, there are large differences between and among the forages listed for C.P. (crude protein) and TDN(Total digestible nutrients). Hay that was managed inappropriately or was not baled properly could be well below the ranges listed. Conversely, depending on high management inputs, this same forage could be well above the listed ranges for C.P. and TDN. Testing your hay before purchasing it would help you determine if what you are buying is worth the cost, and more importantly, will it help you meet the nutrient needs of your livestock?

Oklahoma State University, U. S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating:  The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.