We'll take samples and have them sent in for testing. Always good to see what the relative feed value is anyway.


Never been an issue before but you never know.


If we do end up with anything remotely dangerous we'll make sure and ration it out along with alfalfa. Which is pretty much how we feed hay barley anyway.


What I like to do is feed a hay barley bale first and get all the cows lined out on it. They generally love the stuff and the first bale disappears within 10-15 minutes. When they've about got it slicked up I'll feed the rest of the bales which will be alfalfa or dryland grass hay.


Last winter was a bad one and we really tried to keep the cows full and happy.

We lost two cows, one I'm sure bloated and I'm thinking the other might have as well. Hay barley that had gone to seed was the culprit....

Two big ol' pigs that must have licked up too much grain.