OR
HEO/Ex:3
A1J00030 4479736
OREGON
PNW 259 / January 1988
STATE LIfW
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Buying and Selling
Based on Moisture Content
G.L. Schneider and M . J. Gamroth
Moisture content is important when
you buy or sell forage as silage,
haylage, or green chop. The price must
be adjusted to compensate for different amounts of dry matter. It's the dry
matter of the forage plant that
provides nutrients for animal growth
and milk production.
Table 1 compares the dry-matter
content of various feeds to that of hay
and converts each to a relative drymatter value. (Air-dry hay, which is
90% dry matter, is used as the base
value for determining prices of highermoisture forages).
You can use this value (column 3) to
calculate an equivalent price per unit or
to convert weight to a hay basis. As
you would with hay, consider also
quality factors like protein and fiber
content when you buy or sell the
higher-moisture forages.
You can calculate relative values
(RV) for forages that don't fit the
listed moisture levels with this formula:
RV =
100%
°/o moisture in forage
90%
Example:
RV=
100% -67% haylage
90%
TH
= .366
Knowing the moisture content of forages assures the buyer of its nutritional value
and the seller of its fair market value.
A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication
Oregon Idaho Washington
Gary L. Schneider, Extension agent (dairy),
Malheur County, and Michael J. Gamroth,
Extension dairy specialist, Oregon State
University. This publication prepared in
cooperation with Extension specialists at
the University of Idaho and Washington
State University.
OR HEO/ExE: - 4Fl
:259 ':. :3
Sc h ri e i d e r
L
Ga r
Bu1ins arid sell iris fc'rases
based c.r moisture content
Table 1 .Relative values of forages with different dry-matter contents
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To determine the equivalent price
for your wet forage, simply multiply
the appropriate relative value factor by
the going price for similar quality hay.
Example: Assume a stored hay price
of $70 per ton and a 30% dry-matter
silage, which has a relative value of
.333.
$70.00/ton hay
x
Relative value
(stored hay = 1)
% Dry
matter
Feed
Stored hay
90
1.000
Freshly baled hay
84
.933
Wilted silage
40
30
.444
.388
.333
25
.277
20
.222
35
Direct cut silage or green chop
$23.31/ton value of silage
Consider harvesting and storage
losses when you price forages. Drymatter content at harvest directly
affects dry-matter losses (figure 1).
Field losses increase, but storage losses
decline, as the forage dry matter
increases. Field-cured hay has the
highest harvest dry-matter loss, but the
lowest storage loss.
If you sell the crop as dry hay, you
absorb the dry matter losses that occur
at harvest. If you sell as green chop,
haylage, or silage, the buyer absorbs
the losses that occur during storage
Both buyer and seller should consider
in losses when pricing
50
40
J Storage loss
Harvest loss
L
'Field-cured'
I
I
I
I
Wilted
30 Direct-cut silage,
:
silage
20
Haylage
Barn-dried
hay
_
I
:
ha
'
:
-' j
.d--
10
Sampling and testing
forages for moisture
2030405060708090
Dry matter at harvest
Figure 1.Estimated total field and harvest loss and storage loss when
legume-grass forages are harvested by varying methods and at varying
moisture levels
TH
It's important to collect a representative sample from the crop you're
pricing on dry matter. Several samples
will help overcome the variation in
moisture within a truckload. Collect
and transport samples in airtight
plastic containers.
Buyer and seller should agree on the
sampling, testing, and pricing methods.
The two parties should agree on paying
the cost of testing, too.
A number of commercial feedtesting laboratories will rush the results
of a moisture test back to the sender if
the sender requests it. Nutritional
analyses done on the same samples can
be sent later. Your Extension agent can
recommend several forage testing labs
to use.
0
2
Figure 2.After you place your forage in
the bog, weigh it again.
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You can do quick moisture analyses
in your kitchen with a good scale and a
microwave oven. For green chop,
haylage, or silage, follow this procedure:
1. Weigh a paper bag large enough to
hold 4 ounces of your forage. Write
down the weight as value "A".
2. Place about 4 ounces or 100 grams
of your forage in the paper bag and
weigh again (figure 2). Write this
down as value "B".
3. With a cup of water in the corner of
the oven, begin drying the sample
with the medium power setting of
the oven (figure 3). Dry for 3
minutes, remove the sample, and
stir gently. Dry for another 1 ½
minutes, stir, and dry for 1 minute.
4. The sample should be getting dry
and crisp. Weigh the sample and
bag (figure 4), stir again gently,
and dry for 30 seconds. Continue
the 30-second drying and weighing
until the weight doesn't change.
If the sample begins to char, use
the last weight. Record this final
weight as "C".
5. Calculate the dry matter using this
formula:
Wo Dry matter =
C-A
B-A
X 100
Figure 3.Dry your sample for 3 minutes, medium power setting.
TH
Experiment with drying times before
running an "official" sample. Some
ovens don't heat uniformly. Dry the
sample in different places in the oven.
Some discoloration is normal, but
blackened forage indicates you have
burned off some of the dry matter.
A small dietetic or kitchen scale that
weighs in grams will serve your
weighing needs. They sell for $25-$30.
A little moist feed will improve animal
intake, but don't pay for moisture you
don't need. A few quick tests and
calculations will keep forage producers
and users happy with their farms'
production.
Figure 4.Weigh your sample again.
Repeat the drying and weighing till your
sample's weight doesn't change.
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WASHINGTON
ifr
TH
OREGON
Pacific Northwest cooperative Extension bulletins are joint publications of the three
Pacific Northwest statesOregon, Washington, and Idaho. Similar crops, climate, and
topography create a natural geographic unit that crosses state lines. Since 1949 the PNW
program has published more than 300 titles. Joint writing, editing, and production has
prevented duplication of effort, broadened the availability of faculty specialists, and
substantially reduced costs for the participating states.
Published and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30,
1914, by the Oregon State University Extension Service, O.E. Smith, director; Washington
State University Cooperative Extension, F.L. Poston, director; the University of Idaho
Cooperative Extension Service, H.R. Guenthner, director; and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture cooperating.
The three participating Extension Services offer educational programs, activities, and
materialswithout regard to race, color, national origin, sex, or disabilityas required by
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Oregon State University Extension
Service, Washington State University Cooperative Extension, and the University of Idaho
25/25/25
Cooperative Extension Service are Equal Opportunity Employers.