Kentucky is one of the largest hay producing states East of the Mississippi River. In our climate it typically takes 3-4 days of favorable weather to produce dry hay. However over the last five years, the average rainfall across Central KY has trended higher than the average. As such, many farmers have recently experienced poor drying conditions and lower nutrient availability due to late cut forage. One way that we can prevent exposure to weather is by producing baleage rather than dry hay. Baleage is a term we use to describe a product whereby high moisture hay is wrapped in plastic to exclude oxygen and undergoes fermentation to provide feed for livestock. Typically it only takes a couple days to make baleage and when done correctly, the results are excellent with reduced dry matter losses in the field and increased feed value for cattle. Unfortunately conditions are not always optimum and when not done properly, farmers may experience low feed value, anti-quality factors and even toxic forage.

In order to better advise KY farmers how to make good baleage, a project was initiated by a group of specialists and ANR agents. This effort was made available by a mini-grant of $2,000 from the ANR Directors Office to pay for the cost of sample analysis. Drs. Jimmy Henning, Jeff Lehmkuhler and Michelle Arnold comprised the specialist team with Dr. Henning taking the lead. The agent group consisted of ANR agents from Madison, Shelby, Henry, Fleming and Campbell counties. The Madison County ANR agent lead the agent team and was responsible for submitting the grant proposal, some scheduling, final report submission and sample collection at 5 Madison County Farms.

Data was recorded on the forage equipment and process used to produce baleage on each farm. Factors were determined that were correlated with baleage nutritional and fermentation quality. Agents in the project identified several farms for baleage sampling in their respective counties. Samples were taken from various lots of baleage and submitted for forage quality analysis as well for fermentation profile. Forty five samples were analyzed and their data was summarized. Moisture content at baling was the most influential factor in determining baleage pH and extent of fermentation which relates to storage ability. Acceptable baleage was produced at a wide range of moisture content from 20% to 70%. Moisture content below 50% did ferment properly but did keep well in storage. Risk factors for low quality baleage were identified such as butyric acid content which can be used as a marker for problem baleage.

Results from this project were shared with forage producers across Kentucky and the Nation. Some examples include a Madison County producer meeting on January 30^th 2020 by the Madison County ANR agent and Dr. Henning, National Poster at the American Forage and Grassland Council, January 2020, National Articles in Hay and Forage Grower Magazine, February 2020, Kentucky Popular Press: Farmers Pride, January 2020 and Ohio Forage and Grassland Council Invited Speaker (Henning), 2020. In addition a poster presentation is planned at the 2020 KACAA annual meeting and professional improvement conference in Elizabethtown Kentucky.