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Hay supplies are ample, but producers urged to monitor quality as winter raises cattle feed demands

As the brutally cold temperatures persist, demand for hay will continue to increase.  Tony Hancock, the market manager for the Missouri Department of Agriculture, supplies shouldn’t be an issue. “There continues to be a large supply of average to lower quality hay out there,” he says.  “No shortage of that whatsoever.”

But he tells Brownfield, producers need to know its nutritional quality. “Much of that hay requires a little extra supplement,” he says.  “Guys need to be aware of that.  With the colder weather, those animals require a little bit more nutrients and just make sure they’re providing them what they need.” 

According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the energy requirement for cattle typically goes up about 1 to 2 percent for every degree-Fahrenheit that temperatures fall below the lower critical temperature. The LCT changes based on season, coat type, and weather conditions.