Forage testing is an essential tool to evaluate feed quality. As feed is the major input cost in cattle production, taking a sample will give you an accurate assessment of your pasture and forage health, allowing you to make best management decisions based on what nutrients are available.

Forage testing allows us to:

• Balance rations
• Reduce costs
• Improve performance and profits
• Provide an accurate picture of what the current status of forage nutrient density
• Improve future crop management if present forage quality is unsatisfactory
• Help evaluate the value of the plant material as a nutrient source and help determine equitable prices for feedstuffs based on nutritive value
• Provide an accurate report card of the crop’s protein, energy, and fibre.

A basic forage analysis will:

• List the moisture content of the forage crop
• Reveal energy as total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energy (NE) and/or digestible energy (DE)
• Provide insights into crude protein values, as well as calcium and phosphorus and magnesium and potassium Testing forages puts savings in your pocket and leads to using fewer bales of hay mixed with lower quality forages.