Hay Production Resources for Small Farms

Harvested hay is a valuable product and necessary for supplemental feeding throughout Oregon. Learn about making hay, managing fields, testing, and storing hay.

Haymaking on the Westside

Good quality hay can be produced on the west side of the Cascades with proper knowledge, skills, equipment, storage, and perhaps a bit of luck.

Steve Fransen, Michael Hackett | Jan 2014 | Online resource

How to test hay for nutrient content

This article explains the different ways of testing hay for livestock consumption. It includes information about analyses, labs and lab methods too.

Shelby Filley | Jul 2005 | Article

Understanding Your Forage Test Results

Assists livestock producers in using forage analysis as a management tool to improve livestock nutrition. Explains the information commonly found in most laboratory forage reports: feed, protein, carbohydrates, fat, energy, ash, minerals, pH, nitrates, RFV, and RFQ.

Sergio Arispe, Shelby Filley | Oct 2020 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Matching hay quality to animal nutrient requirements

Because feeding costs can account for over 50% of the cost of livestock production, knowing your hay quality and animal requirements can have a significant impact on profitability. As you harvest hay in the spring, you may ...

Shelby Filley | Apr 2018 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Tips for buying hay to last the winter

Buying enough hay to last the winter for a small-scale livestock operation can be challenging. Here are some tips for how to buy the proper amount, get the best quality available and provide the right amount of feed.

Melissa Fery | Mar 2008 | Article

Hay options — when you’re short on hay

Sometimes winter and spring weather conditions can lead to a shortage of hay for livestock. Learn what you can do to supplement or stretch your forage while still meeting the nutrition needs of your animals.

Shelby Filley, Amy Peters | Apr 2018 | Article

Mar 2018

Want to learn more about this topic? Explore more resources from OSU Extension: Pasture and forages, Plant diseases

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Assess the nutritional value of forages in pasture and hayground.

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Hay options — when you’re short on hay

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How to create mud-free livestock areas

Managing mud and manure in livestock areas does not have to be a dirty job. Paying attention to drainage and hardening heavily trafficked areas can keep the mud at bay. Here's a step-by-step guide.

Shelby Filley, Sara Runkel, Melissa Fery | Mar 2020 | Article

Grass is king: Protect the crown

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Shelby Filley | Aug 2012 | Article

Variety in the pasture

Forages are a critical part of farming and ranching, and a large variety of grasses and legumes are available for planting in our fields. The more we know about these forages, the better we can choose what we grow and ...

Shelby Filley | Mar 2012 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Purchasing hay for the coming year

Make sure you have enough good-quality hay stored for your livestock. Check the nutrition levels of your hay to match the nutritional needs of your animals.

Shelby Filley | Jul 2019 | Article

Strategies for managing pastures during dry conditions

Cool-season perennial and annual forages often struggle during the heat of summer. Fortunately, there are some strategies to consider — including planting drought-tolerant forages, warm-season grasses and annual legumes.

Shelby Filley | Aug 2019 | Article

Fewer weeds equals more quality forage

Weeds can lower the quality and quantity of forage in a pasture or hayfield. In general, weeds have lower protein and energy than improved, cool season perennial and annual forages under good grazing management. The palatability...

Shelby Filley | Sep 2012 | Article

Greener pastures: Improving forage production

Every summer we see many of our fields dry up and turn brown. We think about the previous season’s forage and wonder if we could have done better. The anticipation of fall rains brings thoughts of improving on what we have. What should we do?

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Using soil type to estimate potential forage productivity

Information about a pasture's soil can help maximize its production. Here's a step-by-step guide to using the NRCS Web Soil Survey website to gather soil information for specific pastures.

Shelby Filley | Aug 2018 | Article

Western Oregon hay

Because of our typically wet springs in western Oregon, the average hay crop usually ends up being of low quality. However, when forage in the field is young and tender it is of high quality. As the forage matures, it ...

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What are these blue sheds facing the sunrise?

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Matching hay quality to animal nutrient requirements

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How much should my animals graze?

I have a small dairy goat farm, and at the moment have 5 adult does plus 2 donkeys. This year we have had just enough precipitation to start the grass growing again but the ground is still firm. However, I'm sure my ...

Shelby Filley | Oct 2018 | Featured question

How to manage pastures for efficient and sustained production

The study of how forages grow and respond to livestock grazing has provided the knowledge to manage pastures for efficient and sustained production. Careful management is a cost-efficient way to produce quality forage.

Amy Peters | Jun 2010 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Soil pH and pasture productivity on the Oregon Coast

Producers have questioned the conventional advice to apply lime to change the pH of coastal soils. We look at one set of data on ryegrass pastures that shows the return on investment may indeed be modest.

Troy Downing | May 2009 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

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