Hay Quality

Alfalfa Hay Quality: What Buyers Should Check

Hay quality is best judged by a combination of field history, visual inspection, storage condition, smell, feel, and forage testing when available. No single number tells the whole story.

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Field checks still matter

Before hay reaches a lab report, buyers can look for clean smell, reasonable color, good leaf retention, minimal weeds, limited dust, firm bales, and dry storage. Those checks help identify whether a lot is worth a closer look.

What a forage test can explain

Common lab terms include dry matter, crude protein, ADF, NDF, TDN, minerals, RFV, and RFQ. OSU Extension notes that NDF is tied to intake potential, ADF is tied to digestibility, and RFV/RFQ are comparison tools rather than ration formulas.

Match hay to animals

Horse buyers often care about dust, mold risk, consistency, sugar concerns, and easy handling.
Cattle and ranch buyers may focus on energy, protein, tonnage, and cost per usable feed value.
Dairy and performance operations may lean more heavily on forage testing and lot consistency.
Every buyer should confirm the current lot, storage condition, and approximate bale weight.

Sources and further reading

These notes are written for buyers and visitors, with agricultural background checked against Extension and USDA/NASS resources.