News — Hay Quality

This podcast episode features a discussion between Jon Paul Driver and Dr. Dan Putnam, Professor Emeritus at UC Davis, focusing on fiber digestibility in forage crops, particularly alfalfa. The conversation explores how forage quality is measured, including detailed explanations of NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber), ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber), and the importance of fiber digestibility in animal nutrition. Dr. Putnam emphasizes that traditional marketing metrics like color and basic feed tests don't fully capture important quality factors like fiber digestibility, and discusses how the industry needs to better value the functionality of fiber for rumen health.