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 (in English)

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

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

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