Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-16
FEDERAL EXPERT
DISCUSSES MANY
HAY PERJUDICES


feeding value is often due to q diff
ference in quality rather than to the
kind Of hay, according to L. G..
Parker, hay standardization special-
ist, Bureau Of Agricultural Erono-
mics, United States Department Of
Agriculture.
Many horse, mule. and cattle feed
crs, Parker says, are of the opinion
that hay made from either prairie
grass or other grasses is Of inferior
value to either timothy or johnson
hay This prejudice is usually just
fled where blucstcm, bluegrass, red
top, or other kind of grass hay is
overripc, blcachcd .and tlbrous when
harvested, because al kinds Of
prairie OF other grass hays, = when
ovelripc, are comparatively low in
feed value and palatability.
The same is true, however, Of
overripc timothy or Johnson hay.
Analyses Of timothy cut at various
stages Of maturity show that timothy
cut not later than full bloom has a
higher feed value than timothy cat
at the ripe seed stage. Variations
in feed value Of all hay afc caused
10y time of cutting, weather damage,
and fermentation. The United States
standards for timothy, johnson,
prairie, aud grass lay reflect APP
proNimatcly these variations, so that
usually the grade or quality Of any
Of these hays is Of more Importance
thaa the kind as guide to feed
value.
Hay to meet the requirements OF
the L. 5. No. ! grade must be cut
carly, cured with Htic or no dam
age from rain or sweating. and
must not contain over 10 per cent
of foreign material. Hay which
meets the requirements of the I. ).
Ne. grade consists, usually, Of eI-
thcr carly cut hay which received
IN apprtciable though not severe
degree Of weather damage: or late
cut, though not fully ripe hay which
was curcu Nh little or no weather
damage, and in either case the hay
must not contain over - per cent
foreign material.
Hay which meets the require
mcnts of lie L. $. Ne. , grade con
sists usually oN either early cut hay
which WAS severely weather dam
aged, or distinctly oycrripe hay,
and in either ease the hay must no.
contain over 20 per cent foreign mn
tcrial. |. :. Sample grade is either
hay that Is uusound because OF
te,ncss, must or mold; hay which
contains over 20. per cent foreign
material; or badly uycrripc hay.
Grade Qualities Differ
Thosr brief descriptions Of tn
various United States grades Of
prairie hay, grass hay Timothy hay.
aud johnson hay, Parker says, show
that the hay of each grade has
somewhat different quality or feed
value. There is no material differ
rncc, however, IN the feed value OF
timothy and upland prairie hay IT
the two kinds Of hay arc of the
same grade.
The practical cXpcriencc of many
horse, mule and cattle feeders IN
the North Central, South Central
and Western s.JtcS, aS we'll rs the
rxrcricucc of the United States
army in horse feeding, is that most
of the prairie hays or grass hays
are fully as nutritious rs timothy or
Johnson hay, provided tn" grass
havs are Of comparable grade. In
deed. several kinds of prairie hay
and grass hay produced under
soil and climatic conditions which
are very favorable to hay quality
are considered superior to timothy
or johnson hay Of equal grade.
Feeders who wish to buy upland
prairie hay or grass hay may b."
assured Of obtaining good feed value
in such hays if they will SPrclf%
either L. s. No. Upland Prairi",
L. :. so. = Upland Prairie, |. :.
No. Grass Hay, or [. :. No. :
Grass Hay in their purchase orders.
In sonic seasons, and in some mar
kets. the supplies of /. :. No. ! hay
are limited, although in some locali
ties and markets ample supplies Of
this grade are normally available.
The L. S. 40. , grade is the more
common trading grade, and hay of
this grade is sound and of good feed
value though not SO green as hay Of
the No. ] grade. Receivers desiring
upland prairie hay or grass hay
of good quality should order hay Of
the grades aforementioned and re
quest the shipper to attach to th"
invoice q Federal Hay Certificate Of
complete Inspection. Federal hay
inspection has been made available
to shippers and buyers of hay at
Kansas City, Chicago, Omaha, Den
Yer, IIoustOL San Antonio, Oklahoma
City, and at few shipping points
in Oklahoma.
Additional information regarding
United States hay standards, Fed
eral Hay Inspection Supervisors at
any Of the following places;
Washington, d. C., Bureau Of
Agricultural Economics
Kansas City, Mo, 15l' Gcnescc
street.
Chicago, H., Room 5O7, 10 North
Franklin street.
Atlanta, Ga, Commercial Ex-
change Bldg, Al Exchange Place.
San Francisco, Calf, Room A,
Ferry Eldg.
= SAT- Salt Lake City, Utah, aol Capitol
Building.