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Your Guide to Premium Alberta Hay Quality, Grades, and Use

Hay is one of the most important feed sources for livestock, and its quality can make a significant difference in animal health, performance, and operational efficiency. Whether you’re feeding beef cattle, dairy cows, horses, or small ruminants, choosing the right grade of hay ensures you’re meeting your animals’ nutritional needs effectively.

At Barr-Ag, we specialize in the production and sale of premium Alberta-grown hay, including Timothy, Alfalfa, and mixed hay. Our products are grown in Alberta’s clean and dry climate, free from pesticides, and are tested regularly through internationally recognized laboratories to ensure consistent quality and nutritional value.

What Is Hay Grading?

Hay grading is the process of evaluating the quality of forage based on its nutritional content, digestibility, physical characteristics, and absence of contaminants. Grading allows buyers to match hay to specific livestock requirements and optimize feed value for the best results.

Unlike Alfalfa, which is typically graded using Relative Feed Value (RFV), grass and mixed hays (such as Timothy or Timothy-Alfalfa blends) are more accurately assessed using Relative Forage Quality (RFQ). RFQ includes fiber digestibility and total digestible nutrients (TDN), making it a better index for grasses and mixed forages.

Common Hay Grades and Uses

Hay is often categorized by nutrient content and overall quality into the following practical categories:

Grade	Typical Characteristics
Premium	High leaf content, green color, excellent smell, no dust/mold
Low Premium	Green to light green, moderate leaf content, slight weathering acceptable
#1	Yellowing, coarser texture, some stem or maturity visible
#2	Poor color, heavy stems, possible contaminants

Key Factors That Influence Hay Quality

Several factors impact the final grade and feeding value of hay:

Type of Hay

o Timothy hay: High in fiber, palatable

o Alfalfa hay: High in protein and energy

o Mixed hay: Offers a balance between energy and fiber.

Maturity at Harvest

Early cut hay is more nutritious and digestible. As plants mature, fiber content increases, reducing digestibility.

Leaf-to-Stem Ratio

Leaves contain most of the nutrients. A higher leaf content results in better forage quality.

Color and Aroma

Bright green color and a sweet, fresh smell indicate quality. Musty or brown hay suggests spoilage or poor curing.

Moisture Content

Ideal moisture levels (12–15%) prevent mold and leaf shatter. Too much moisture can lead to heating and spoilage.

Foreign Material

Dirt, weeds, mold, or dust lower nutritional value and may be harmful to animals.

Why Hay Quality Matters

Feeding low-quality hay can lead to:

o Reduced weight gain or milk production

o Increased need for supplements

o Digestive issues or respiratory concerns

o Lower feed intake and more waste

On the other hand, feeding properly graded, high-quality hay improves efficiency, animal health, and overall performance. Matching hay grade to the needs of your livestock helps reduce costs and improve results over time.

Barr-Ag’s Commitment to Premium Forage

At Barr-Ag, every bale is tested, sorted, and packaged to meet exact quality standards. We work with internationally accredited laboratories to test for crude protein (CP), fiber (ADF/NDF), moisture, and other key indicators.We offer:

o Clean, consistent Timothy and Timothy-mix hay

o Non-GMO Alfalfa hay with high protein content

o Custom blends to suit your livestock’s needs

Choose Barr-Ag for High-Quality Alberta Hay

Whether you’re feeding dairy cattle, horses, or beef stock, Barr-Ag is your trusted partner for dependable, export-grade hay. Our team can help you select the right grade for your specific needs and ensure smooth delivery anywhere in North America or abroad.

For specific dietary requirements, we recommend consulting your veterinarian.

Contact us today to request a quote, speak to our team, or learn more about our current inventory.

Canadian Timothy Hay

Canada’s forage industry is booming as Asian markets continue to provide strong demand for one of the most commonly-grown forage grasses in Canada, timothy hay. Timothy is perfectly suited for growing in cooler, more temperate climates like that of the Alberta province. As far as forage grasses go, timothy hay is one of the more palatable options and preferred by most livestock.

Barr-Ag grows timothy hay in the cool and clean environment of the Canadian Rockies. The area near the eastern slopes where Barr-Ag grows its timothy is known for producing the sweetest timothy hay anywhere on the planet. It is thought that this is the result of the outstanding growing environment created by the perfect altitude and seasonal changes for timothy hay.

Timothy is a perennial bunchgrass that is well-adapted to climates like those found in Western Canada. The fertile farmland there is paired with long daylight hours and plentiful sun; because of the exceptional environment for the growing season, Barr-Ag is able to grow and produce timothy hay of unsurpassed quality. This is very important as increased incomes and better standards of living in many areas of the Middle East and Asia are resulting in higher demands for animal-based protein and dairy. The rapidly-expanding dairy and beef industries in Asian countries rely on Canadian timothy hay due to limited land area for growing forage in their own countries. In fact, Canadian timothy hay exports are growing nearly exponentially and currently account for more than $100 million in trade on a yearly basis.

Barr-Ag produces dry-land timothy hay that is harvested once every season, and irrigated timothy that can be harvested twice every season. Nearly all hay produced by Barr-Ag comes from their farms, with the balance coming from trusted producers. Additional hay is procured only from producers who have been carefully vetted to ensure their adherence to Barr-Ag’s strict growing protocols and standards of quality control.

Barr-Ag makes shipping easy through thorough accommodation of customer needs. All shipping and customs documents are prepared for buyers to help ensure that every delivery goes smoothly. Shipments to other continents, as well as those heading into the US, are treated with the utmost care and are routed through various ports to keep shipping time to a minimum. Various shipping options are offered by Barr-Ag, including cost and freight (CNF) and freight on board (FOB); container yard (CY) shipping is also available.

Contact Barr Ag to get more information on any or our crops including Alfalfa, Timothy, Mixed Hay, Canadian Grains and Pulse crops.

Timothy Hay Overview

History of Timothy Hay

Timothy hay, also referred to as Timothy-grass, is a grass native to Europe. It is also known as meadow cat’s tail and common cat’s tail and can be found in most of Europe, excluding the Mediterranean region.

The grass was introduced to North America by settlers in the early 18^th century. It was first cataloged by a man named John Hurd, who has noticed it growing wild in New Hampshire and started feeding it to his livestock. He called it “Hurd grass”. In around 1720 a farmer named Timothy Hansen began cultivating it and promoting it commercially throughout the other states. It was around that time the grass got the name “Timothy Hay” and the name has stuck to this day.

Timothy Hay for Forage

Timothy Hay is most used as feed for cattle and horses. It is noted for its relatively low protein and high fibre content. It also contains low moisture which makes the dried grass ideal for storage without worrying about rotting.

Mature horses especially benefit from the low protein and high-quality nutritional content of Timothy hay as it allows them to eat without gaining extra calories or weight. These same dietary factors are beneficial for thoroughbred race horses. Timothy hay is easy on animals’ digestive systems and its high fibre content promotes regular bowel movements.

In many cases, horse owners and cattle producers will mix Timothy hay with other forages like alfalfa and red clover, especially if they feel their animals could benefit from the extra protein and calories offered by legume forages. Since Timothy hay has a low calcium content, it is ideal feed for domestic animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, which are may be more prone to developing bladder stones and crystallization of the urine. Many small animal vets recommend Timothy hay to avoid these problems.

Timothy Hay for Export

Timothy hay grows extremely well under Canada’s growing conditions and is in demand in countries along the Pacific Rim, specifically in Japan. It is used to add fibre to the diets of cattle, and as forage for horses in the Asian market. This huge export market has picked up substantially in Western Canada, with producers like Barr-Ag Hay & Grain Exporters working hard to keep up with the pace of the worlds expanding demand for Timothy hay.

According to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, export shipments from Canada’s western provinces have increased from a trial shipment of 17 tonnes in the early 1980s to over 300,000 tonnes in 2003-04. Out of that total, 80% of it is going to Japan making them Canada’s largest customer for Timothy hay.

Barr-Ag Timothy Hay

Grown near the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Barr-Ag’s Timothy hay is argued to be some of the most palatable hay in the world. We are fortunate to have clean air, rich soil and a pristine environment in which to grow our hay. Increased sugar content is the result of higher altitudes and our northern location, which makes for long, warm days and cool nights during the growing season.

Dryland Timothy hay is cut once per season, while irrigated Timothy is harvested 2 times per season. The majority of Barr-Ag’s Timothy hay is produced on our own farms and the rest we purchase from trusted producers who follow our growing protocols and adhere to our quality control standards.

Contact Barr-Ag for further information regarding grades currently available.

Sources: http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_phpr3.pdf; http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sis11075; http://www.therockdepotcolorado.com/artman/publish/printer_Timothy_Hay_Good_Hay_for_Horse_Feed.html

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