Alfalfa hay, which is grown mainly in the West and North Central United States, is the No. 1 cash crop in the nation. Most Mississippi farmers grow bermudagrass and bahaigrass or mixes as a hay crop. There are more than 100 million mother cows in the country. About 55 million of them are in the Southern states. Bagley said each beef cow eats about four 1,200 pound bales of hay per winter.
Dairy cows eat more because of their size and production demands.
If the nutritional value of the hay has been diminished, livestock owners must spend more money on supplements during the winter. Growers process most hay in large round bales averaging between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds each. These bales are easier to harvest and feed because of a lower cost of handling.