Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Forage Quality: How to Analyze Your Samples with the BC Forage Council
In this forage quality presentation, Professional Agrologist and forage producer Mike Witt of Witt Precision Ag., walked participants through forage sample interpretation. BC Forage Council Manager, Serena Black, presented the results of the 72 forage quality samples that were collected throughout the region this fall.Â
RESOURCES:
- Fact Sheet: Beef Cattle Research Council – Forage Quality Information
- Fact Sheet: Ohio State, Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle
- Manual: Alberta Ministry of Agriculture, Beef Cow Calf Manual – Page 97 for Beef Cattle Nutrition
- Forage quality samples: 72 samples from Kootenay and Boundary Farms (anonymous analysis):Â Forage Quality Results Summary 2021Â
- Youtube video (KBFA archived event): Beef Cattle Nutrition, December 2021
CONTENTS (click on the time to go directly to the video):
00:00:00 KBFA Introduction (Rachael Roussin)
00:04:07 BC Forage Council Introduction (Serena Black)
00:06:59 Round Table Introductions (all participants)
00:19:12 Project Introduction (Serena Black)
00:22:04 Overview of Samples 00:23:46 Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) 00:27:23 Sugars 00:28:36 Analysis Summaries
00:34:20 Introduction (Mike Witt)
00:36:39 Forage Quality
00:38:22 Sampling Methods
00:39:28 Test Results (NIR, Wet Chem, Calculations)
00:42:05 Dry Matter vs As Fed
00:45:21 Feed Components
00:46:40 Protein (CP, N, Amino Acids…)
00:52:00 Plant Cells
00:55:08 Fibre (NDF, ADF…) & Feed Intake
00:59:40 Non-Strucutral Carbohydrates (NSC)
01:02:26 Energy & TDN
01:08:00 Calculations (e.g. RFQ)
01:09:03 Ash & Minerals
01:10:39 Macro Minerals (Ca, P, Na, Mg, K, S)
01:15:00 Micros (Se, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, I, Co, Mo) & Vitamins
01:20:37 Other (nitrates, ammonia, pH, mold, toxins …)
01:23:53 Comparing Tests
01:25:49 Maturity at Cut
01:30:24 Other Influences on Growth
01:32:21 Harvest Management
01:35:04 Feeding Management
01:41:14 Resilient Strategies
01:43:02 Conclusion
01:44:43 Q&A: Sampling Problems
01:46:45 Q&A: High Iron Levels
01:47:45 Q&A: Nitrates and Drought
01:49:08 Q&A: Sourcing Inoculants
01:51:20 Q&A: Sugars (ESC)
01:56:13 Q&A: Warm vs Cool Season Annuals
01:58:24 Q&A: Alfalfa & Grass Benchmarks
02:02:12 Q&A: Acetic Acids
02:03:53 Feeding Costs (Mike Witt)
02:06:44 Costs Example: Low Quality Hay
02:08:52 Costs Example: High Quality Hay
02:10:44 Costs Example: Not Enough Hay
02:12:06 Costs Example: Hay vs Grain vs Silage
02:14:45 Comments by Mike Malmberg
02:17:39 KBFAÂ
