2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
What is the difference?
1)  Digestible energy
2)  How much can be eaten
Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)
75
What is “high quality forage?”
125
150
175
200
225
•  Dairy, 1st 120 days
•  Dairy calf
Quality Required
•  Forage that is highly digestible (i.e., high TDN)
•  Large amounts of the forage can be consumed
(i.e., high DMI).
•  Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) =
TDN * DMI/1.23
•  Dairy, last 200 days
•  Heifer, 3-12 mo.
•  Stocker cattle
•  Weanling horse
•  Mature horse, int. work
•  Heifer, 12-18 mo.
•  Lactating beef cow
•  Lactating mare
•  Mature horse, mod. work
•  Heifer, 18-24 mo.
•  Dry cow
•  Mature horse, lt. work
What Affects Forage Quality?
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
100
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
1
Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
The Paradox of Forage
Quality and Quantity
Fescue Maturity- Effects on
Yield and Protein
3.0
16
Digestibility & Palatability
Crude Protein
14
Tons/Ac 2.5
12
2.0
10
1.5
8
6
1.0
4
0.5
2
0.0
0
Late boot
Early flower
Seed dough
Maturity Bermudagrass Harvest Interval:
Effects on Protein and Digestibility
Fescue Maturity- Digestibility
Digested DM/Ac
Undigested DM/Ac
60
Percent, %
Tons/Acre 2.5
2.0
JUST MORE MANURE!!!
1.5
1.0
0.5
55.0
45
40
30
15.8
20
6.3
10
0.0
Late boot
Early flower
McCollough and Burton., 1962 DMI 11.9, 8.8, 9.5 lbs ADG 1.2, .9, 0 lbs
Crude Protein
4 weeks
8 weeks
Digestibility
13 weeks
Harvest Timing
Recommendations
Bermudagrass Harvest Interval:
Effects on Yield and Protein
• Hybrid Bermudagrass
18
16.1
-
16
-
12.4
14
1st cut at 12-16 inches
Subsequent cuttings at 3.5-5 week intervals
•  Tall fescue, ryegrass, orchardgrass, etc.
12
10
6
5.3
0
Seed dough
Majority of hay harvested at hard seed stage
Only truly applicable with spring harvest
8
49.0
50
-
6.4
4.8
-
-
4
0.8 0.8
2
•  Alfalfa
0
Yield, T/Ac
Hoveland et al., 1971
Crude Protein, %
3 weeks
-
Crude Protein, T/Ac
-
6 weeks
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
Spring cut at early flower stage
Mid to late boot stage for higher quality
Subsequent cuttings at 10-12 inches (better quality)
2
Spring cut at when 10-20% of plants are blooming
Cut at late bud – 10% bloom stage
Crude Protein, %
Yield
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Quality Differences in the
Major Forage Species
High
Production
Mod.
Production
Maint.
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
Quality Provided
Typical Range in Quality of
Common Forages
Alfalfa
Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Other Legumes
Cool Season Annual Grasses
Cool Season Peren. Grasses
Bermudagrass
Summer Annual Grass
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)
Moisture distribution of mixed
grass-legume round bales stored on
the ground
% Moisture 14 inches Twine Wrapped Shinners, University of Wisconsin Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
3
Net Wrapped 2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
Moisture distribution of mixed
grass-legume round bales stored on
the ground vs. elevated
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
% Moisture Twine Wrapped On a Pallet Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Shinners, University of Wisconsin Crop Moisture Lessens Rain
Damage on Bermudagrass
re istu
Mo
re 40%
s
i tu
Mo
13%
DM Loss, %
DM Loss, %
The Effect of Rainfall on
DM Loss
Scarbrough et al., 2005
Rainfall, in.
Scarbrough et al., 2005
NDF, %
Crop Moisture Lessens Rain
Damage on Bermudagrass
Scarbrough et al., 2005
, Not Signifi
No Rain
2.10
Rain Damage
1.92
NDF, %
68.1
76.0
Digestibility, %
63.2
59.7
Intake, % of b.w.
cant. Rainfall, in.
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
Rainfall, in.
The Effect of Rain on
Tall Fescue Hay
oisture
40% M
oisture
13% M
76% Moistu
re
76% Moisture, Not Significant. Turner et al., 2003
4
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Heat-Damaged
Protein
Heat
Yield and Digestibility of
Bermudagrass Hybrids
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
Factor
CP in Bermudagrass Forage
as Effected by N Fertilization
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
18
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
14
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
% Protein
16
T 85 F
T 85 C
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
200
300
400
lbs N
Source: Dr. Bill Anderson, USDA-ARS Tifton
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
DM Intake
Useable
Protein
Protein
Factor
Heat Damage to Crude Protein
5
500
600
700
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
Effect of N Rates on
Bermudagrass CP & Digestibility
20 15 10 5 Crude Protein 0 0 Burton et al.
DigesCbility 400 70 68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 DigesCbility, % Crude Protein, % 25 Does fertility or harvest timing affect
quality more?- Crude Protein
(4X as much N) 1400 Bromegrass Annual lbs N/year Colovos et al. 1961 Does fertility or harvest timing
affect quality more?- Digestibility
Primary Factors Affecting Forage Quality
(3.8 X as much N) Bromegrass Factor
Recommendation
Plant Maturity
Cut bermudagrass every 4-5 wks; cut tall fescue in
the boot or early head stage.
Forage Species
Use the highest-quality species that will persist in
your environment.
Bale Storage
Protect bales from rainfall and weathering during
storage (i.e., barn, tarp, etc.)
Rain During Curing
Avoid cutting if significant rainfall (> 0.50 inches) is
predicted during curing.
Moisture at Baling
Allow forage to dry to the appropriate moisture
(Round: 15%; Square: 18%)
Variety
Use varieties that have proven to be higher in
quality.
Fertilization
Provide fertilizer based on soil test recommendations
Colovos et al. 1961 Be Careful of Cutting Height
Write this down in
BIG BOLD letters!
“GRASS GROWS GRASS.”
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
6
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Keys to Maximizing Your RFQ Score
Parting Thoughts
•  RFQ is chiefly defined by digestibility
and DM intake
•  Plant maturity trumps ALL other factors
-  Even more important than forage
species
•  Rain damage is a problem, but letting a
plant get overly mature to avoid a ½
inch rain is even more problematic
•  Avoid cutting the forage too short
-  It reduces quality and slows the
rate of regrowth
www.georgiaforages.com
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
7