Abstract
Bad nutrition diminishes any herd's productivity. Forage sampling is thus a key strategy that helps livestock producers to maintain or optimize their operation's output. This four-page bulletin shows how to properly take a core sample of haystacks or bales and document its nutrient content before using, buying or selling hay for animal feed. Along with tool tips, usage and suppliers, it also provides guidelines when coring large hay amounts. Color photography illustrates some of the finer points, like identifying defective tools and how to prepare a sample bag for lab analysis.