Jan. 20, 2020
Hay stocks up from last year but still below average
By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist
Weather challenges in 2019 led to many questions about the quantity and quality of hay production and supply heading into 2020. Recent USDA reports provide a summary of 2019 hay production and the status of hay stocks as of December 1.
Total December 1, 2019 hay stocks were 84.488 million tons (Table 1), 6.9 percent higher year over year but still 5.4 percent below the 2014-2018 average. Hay stocks were generally up year over year in the western, mountain and plains states and the Corn Belt but down in the great lakes, Appalachian and eastern regions. Table 1 shows the top 10 states for hay stocks as well as hay production. Missouri had the largest hay stocks and showed the most increase year over year with stocks up 64.3 percent, the highest level for the state since 2009. Among the top ten states for hay stocks, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee had year over year declines.
Table 1. U.S. and Top Ten States Hay Stocks and Production, 2019
|
|
Dec 1 Stocks |
All Hay Production |
Alfalfa Hay Production |
Other Hay Production |
||||
|
|
State |
1,000 Tons |
State |
1,000 Tons |
State |
1,000 Tons |
State |
1,000 Tons |
|
1 |
MO |
6900 |
TX |
9216 |
MT |
4515 |
TX |
8640 |
|
2 |
SD |
6250 |
MO |
7367 |
SD |
4465 |
MO |
6665 |
|
3 |
TX |
5600 |
SD |
7003 |
ID |
4444 |
OK |
5320 |
|
4 |
KS |
5300 |
KS |
6315 |
CA |
4118 |
TN |
4025 |
|
5 |
MT |
5100 |
MT |
6225 |
NE |
3610 |
KY |
3960 |
|
6 |
NE |
4200* |
NE |
6085 |
CO |
2701 |
KS |
3795 |
|
7 |
ND |
4200* |
OK |
5935 |
KS |
2520 |
AR |
2750 |
|
8 |
OK |
4200* |
CA |
5795 |
IA |
2380 |
SD |
2538 |
|
9 |
KY |
3000 |
ID |
5111 |
AZ |
2324 |
NE |
2475 |
|
10 |
TN |
2900 |
KY |
4424 |
MN |
2263 |
VA |
2420 |
|
Top 10 |
|
47650 |
|
62481 |
|
31071 |
|
42588 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. |
2019 |
84488 |
|
128864 |
|
54875 |
|
73989 |
|
|
2018 |
79055 |
|
123600 |
|
52634 |
|
70966 |
|
5 yr. avg. |
14-18 |
89272 |
|
132063 |
|
57494 |
|
74568 |
*tie for 6, 7 and 8
Data for hay production is reported as alfalfa and other hay. Total production of all hay was 128.864 million tons, up 4.3 percent year over year; and consisted of 42.6 percent alfalfa hay and 57.4 percent other hay. Total hay production was 2.4 percent below the 2014-2018 average. The top ten hay production states includes some states dominated by alfalfa hay production including California, Montana and South Dakota and other states dominated by other hay production including Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Some states such as Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota have more balanced mixes of alfalfa and other hay production.
Alfalfa hay tends to be grown most in northern regions, in large dairy production areas, and in some feedlot production areas. In addition to dairy and feedlot production, alfalfa hay is also used for beef cattle feed in some regions where it is grown. Total 2019 alfalfa hay production was up 4.3 percent year over year, but was down 4.6 percent from the 2014-2018 average. Among the top ten states, alfalfa hay production was up in all states except California and Nebraska.
Other hay production includes a wide range of non-alfalfa dry forages and is mostly used for beef cattle production. Total other hay production was up 4.3 percent year over year, just 0.8 percent below the 2014-2018 average production level. Other hay production was up 11.4 percent among the top ten other hay producing states but was down in Kentucky, Nebraska and Tennessee.
Total hay supplies appear to be generally adequate although quality may be an issue in some instances. However, average hay prices are projected to increase two to four percent over the previous crop year. Regionally, the tightest supplies appear to be in the southeast, Appalachian and great lakes regions. Nebraska stands out as a major hay state with decreased production and stocks but surrounded on all sides by states with increased year over year hay production.
Signs of impending calving in cows or heifers
By Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Cattle Emeritus Extension animal scientist
As the spring calving season begins, the cows will show typical signs that will indicate parturition is imminent. Changes that are gradually seen are udder development, or making bag and the relaxation and swelling of the vulva. These indicate the cow is due to calve in the near future. There is much difference between individuals in the development of these signs and certainly age is a factor. The first calf heifer, particularly if she has the genetic makeup for heavy milking, develops udder for a very long time, sometimes for two or three weeks before parturition. The swelling and relaxation of the vulva can be highly variable too. Most people notice that Brahman influence cattle seem to change in this area much more than cattle from other breeds.
Typically, in the immediate 2 weeks preceding calving, the udder is filling, and one of the things that might be seen is the loss of the cervical plug. This is a very thick tenacious, mucous material hanging from the vulva. It may be seen pooling behind the cow when she is lying down. Some people mistakenly think this happens immediately before calving, but in fact this can be seen weeks before parturition and therefore is only another sign that the calving season is here. The immediate signs that usually occur within 24 hours of calving would be relaxation of the pelvic ligaments and strutting of the teats. A protein hormone called “relaxin” is produced by structures on the ovary and is highest in concentration the last 24 hours prior to calving. This hormone causes the softening of the collagen in the pelvic ligaments and the cervix.
Due to this surge of relaxin, and the relaxation of the pelvic ligaments, a subtle, but noticeable sunken depression can be seen in front of the pin bones. These can be fairly dependable for the owner that watches his cows several times a day during the calving season. The casual observer who is knowledgeable of the signs but sees the herd infrequently may have difficulty accurately predicting calving time from these signs. The relaxation of the pelvic ligaments really cannot be observed in fat cows, (body condition score 7 or greater). However, relaxation of the ligaments can be seen very clearly in thin or moderate body condition cows and can be a clue of parturition within the next 12 – 24 hours.
These changes are signs the producer or herdsman can use to more closely pinpoint calving time. Strutting of the teats is not really very dependable. Some heavy milking cows will have strutting of the teats as much as two or three days before calving and on the other hand, a thin poor milking cow may calve without strutting of the teats. Another thing that might be seen in the immediate 12 hours before calving would be variable behavior such as a cow that does not come up to eat, or a cow that isolates herself into a particular corner of the pasture. However, most of them have few behavioral changes until the parturition process starts. Sources: Effect of Relaxin on Parturition in Ruminants. L.L Anderson, Iowa State University Leaflet A.S. R1465. and Calving Time Management of Beef Cows and Heifers, Oklahoma State University Extension Circular E-1006.
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency.