| Feed | Type | CP % | ADF % | NDF % | TDN % | Ca % | P % | NSC % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Hay | Grass hay | 9.5 | 36 | 61 | 56 | 0.45 | 0.24 | 12 |
| Orchardgrass Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 35 | 60 | 57 | 0.35 | 0.3 | 11 |
| Bromegrass Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 37 | 62 | 55 | 0.4 | 0.28 | 11 |
| Bermudagrass Hay (Coastal) | Grass hay | 10 | 36 | 70 | 52 | 0.45 | 0.22 | 10 |
| Bahiagrass Hay | Grass hay | 8.5 | 39 | 71 | 50 | 0.45 | 0.22 | 9 |
| Tall Fescue Hay | Grass hay | 10.5 | 37 | 64 | 54 | 0.45 | 0.3 | 12 |
| Kentucky Bluegrass Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 33 | 62 | 57 | 0.35 | 0.28 | 13 |
| Perennial Ryegrass Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 33 | 55 | 60 | 0.55 | 0.3 | 18 |
| Teff Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 38 | 63 | 53 | 0.5 | 0.24 | 10 |
| Oat Hay | Cereal hay | 9 | 34 | 58 | 58 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 22 |
| Barley Hay | Cereal hay | 9 | 34 | 56 | 57 | 0.3 | 0.28 | 20 |
| Wheat Hay | Cereal hay | 8.5 | 35 | 60 | 56 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 18 |
| Mixed Grass Hay | Grass hay | 10 | 37 | 62 | 55 | 0.5 | 0.25 | 12 |
| Reed Canarygrass Hay | Grass hay | 11 | 35 | 62 | 55 | 0.4 | 0.25 | 9 |
| Sudangrass Hay | Grass hay | 9 | 40 | 65 | 55 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 10 |
| Native Prairie Hay | Grass hay | 6.5 | 42 | 68 | 50 | 0.4 | 0.12 | 8 |
| Crabgrass Hay | Grass hay | 10 | 36 | 65 | 56 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 10 |
| Alfalfa Hay (early bloom) | Legume hay | 19 | 31 | 40 | 60 | 1.4 | 0.25 | 10 |
| Alfalfa Hay (mid bloom) | Legume hay | 17 | 35 | 46 | 58 | 1.3 | 0.24 | 9 |
| Alfalfa-Grass Mix Hay | Mixed hay | 14 | 35 | 52 | 57 | 0.9 | 0.25 | 10 |
| Red Clover Hay | Legume hay | 15 | 36 | 46 | 57 | 1.4 | 0.25 | 9 |
| Peanut Hay | Legume hay | 11 | 38 | 48 | 55 | 1.2 | 0.17 | 10 |
| Perennial Peanut Hay | Legume hay | 15 | 33 | 44 | 60 | 1.3 | 0.25 | 10 |
| Sericea Lespedeza Hay | Legume hay | 13 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 1.1 | 0.25 | 8 |
| Birdsfoot Trefoil Hay | Legume hay | 16 | 33 | 45 | 60 | 1.6 | 0.23 | 9 |
| Wheat Straw | Straw | 3.5 | 54 | 79 | 43 | 0.17 | 0.05 | 3 |
| Oat Straw | Straw | 4.5 | 48 | 72 | 46 | 0.25 | 0.07 | 4 |
| Barley Straw | Straw | 4.5 | 50 | 75 | 45 | 0.3 | 0.07 | 3 |
| Alfalfa Pellets | Processed forage | 17.5 | 33 | 43 | 58 | 1.5 | 0.25 | 10 |
| Timothy Pellets | Processed forage | 9 | 37 | 60 | 55 | 0.45 | 0.22 | 11 |
| Alfalfa Cubes | Processed forage | 17 | 33 | 44 | 58 | 1.4 | 0.24 | 10 |
| Beet Pulp (unmolassed) | By-product feed | 9.5 | 23 | 43 | 72 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 12 |
| Soybean Hulls | By-product feed | 13 | 46 | 64 | 70 | 0.6 | 0.17 | 6 |
| Camelid Pellet (typical commercial) | Concentrate | 16 | 22 | 38 | 65 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 18 |
| Oats (grain) | Grain | 13 | 14 | 30 | 77 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 45 |
| Barley (grain) | Grain | 12.5 | 7 | 20 | 84 | 0.06 | 0.39 | 60 |
| Corn (grain) | Grain | 9 | 3.5 | 10 | 88 | 0.03 | 0.3 | 72 |
| Black Oil Sunflower Seeds | Oilseed | 17 | 30 | 40 | 100 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5 |
| Flaxseed | Oilseed | 24 | 9 | 22 | 110 | 0.27 | 0.6 | 6 |
| Rice Bran (stabilized) | By-product feed | 15 | 15 | 30 | 85 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 25 |
| Wheat Bran | By-product feed | 17 | 13 | 45 | 70 | 0.13 | 1.1 | 27 |
| Distillers Dried Grains | By-product feed | 30 | 17 | 37 | 85 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 7 |
| Soybean Meal | Protein supplement | 54 | 7 | 14 | 84 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 15 |
| Cool-Season Pasture (spring, leafy) | Pasture | 20 | 26 | 48 | 68 | 0.5 | 0.35 | 15 |
| Grass Pasture (summer, mature) | Pasture | 10 | 38 | 62 | 55 | 0.45 | 0.25 | 12 |
| Grass Haylage | Fermented forage | 12 | 36 | 58 | 58 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 5 |
How to read a hay test for alpacas
- Crude protein (CP): 8–10% for idle adults, 12–14% for late pregnancy and lactation, 14–16% for growing crias.
- ADF: below about 35% means digestible hay; above 40% is coarse and less nutritious.
- NDF: the lower it is, the more an alpaca can eat. Above 65% hay fills them up before needs are met.
- NSC (sugar + starch): under 12% suits easy keepers and seniors; over 18% can promote obesity.
- Ca:P ratio: aim for 1.2–2:1 in the total diet; inverted ratios raise urinary stone risk in males.
- Always compare on a dry-matter basis — fresh pasture looks low because it is mostly water.