When the leaves start dropping the quality of the hay declines rapidly. Soybean hay that contains a high proportion of mature beans can result in a diet too high in fat resulting in scouring, depressed appetite, and digestive problems. Harvesting soybeans for hay is more difficult than harvesting grass or grass and legumes for hay. Soybean leaves are delicate and excessive handling can result in substantial loss. Soybeans cut for hay need to be run through a roller type conditioner to crush the stems.
Conditioning decreases drying time and leaf loss.
Operate raking and baling equipment to minimize shattering of the soybean leaves. A common problem with soybean hay is that the immature soybeans dry slowly in the pod and often mold in the hay. Even with conditioning, the pods are still the slowest drying part of the plant. Waiting to bale until the pods dry fully will reduce the problem, but more leaves could be lost. Another problem with soybean hay is that it does not weather well when stored outside.