Using a Brix Refractometer to Test Hay, Grass and Forage for Livestock

Hay, pasture grass and other forage crops are among the most important components of livestock feeding programs. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats and other grazing animals depend on forage for much of their daily nutrition, yet two bales of hay that look almost identical can have very different nutritional characteristics.

Color, smell, leafiness, maturity and texture can provide useful clues, but visual inspection cannot tell a producer how much water-soluble material is present in the plant. Laboratory forage analysis remains the most comprehensive way to determine nutritional characteristics such as crude protein, fiber, energy and water-soluble carbohydrates. However, laboratory testing takes time and requires sending a sample away.

A refractometer provides a fast way to take a measurement directly from plant sap or a prepared forage extract.

For producers who want a quick field measurement, a Brix refractometer can provide useful information about the soluble material present in grass and forage. The technique is particularly interesting for fresh pasture grasses, legumes and other forage plants where sap can be extracted directly from the plant.