Most of the cattlemen reading this blog will likely admit that they are in a drought, to some degree or another. Interestingly, some may have even sold hay from a bumper crop last year, for what seemed like a tidy profit at $125/ton, only to have to buy some back this year at prices $20 to $50 above that. What a difference el niño can make! For whatever reason, many Cattlemen are buying hay this fall, in order to get through the winter. And, for some cattlemen, hay may be scarce in their part of the country. CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) hay may be part of what they can make a deal on.
Earlier this summer, the USDA opened much of the CRP land for emergency haying and grazing. This greatly increased the forage available to cattlemen in drought stricken counties. If you are like most of us, when you hear the term “CRP hay”, you immediately begin to get a visual of some pretty low quality forage. Something a little bit better than straw, but not as good as your neighbor’s 3-year old pile of alfalfa round bales. While this does describe one end of the quality spectrum, some of the CRP hay can be much better. The previous year’s old growth (or perhaps the lack of any growth this year) is what makes the quality decline so badly. If, for some reason, there is not too much old growth in it, or if there is a fair amount of alfalfa in the mix, you could see crude protein values as high as 10%. This is pretty good feed for a gestating beef cow, but CRP hay at the other end of the spectrum may be 6% to 7% CP or less. This poor quality CRP can really use some help in the form of supplemental protein. As with any purchased forage, you need to have a good representative (not just 1or 2 bales) sample tested, at a reputable feed lab. This would be especially worth the investment with CRP hay, as the value/quality can vary greatly, and should impact the asking price.
So, while you are looking up el niño’s phone number in the phone book, to give him a piece of your mind, also jot down the number of your nearest CRYSTALYX® dealer, as you will be needing some supplemental crude protein to help digest that lower quality CRP hay. The added protein in CRYSTALYX® beef supplements allow cattle to unlock more energy from the CRP hay they consume. Vitamin A activity is also likely to be low in that quality of forage, and we know from past experience that most all forages in the US are deficient in copper and zinc. We are developing quite a grocery list of nutrients we need to go with this CRP hay, but, rest assured that CRYSTALYX® protein supplements for beef cattle contain 1 to 2 times the NRC required nutrient levels for trace minerals and vitamins A, D and E. CRYSTALYX® Brand self-fed supplements are an excellent way to maximize your returns from a supplement program that’s available 24/7, while minimizing your investment in time, labor and equipment.
On the CRYSTALYX® website, go to “Condition Type” and choose “Low Quality Forage” for a complete list of the appropriate CRYSTALYX® protein supplements for that bottom end CRP hay
