What is Relative Feed Value?
Relative Feed Value (RFV) is a measurement used in the agriculture industry to evaluate the nutritional quality of alfalfa and hay. The higher the RFV, the better the nutritional quality. This score is generally used by dairy farms and beef ranches to ensure their cattle receive the nutrients necessary for growth.
The Relative Feed Value scale ranges from 90 to 200.
- RFV of 100 represents the quality of mature alfalfa hay.
- RFV above 100 indicates higher quality forage.
- RFV below 100 indicates lower quality forage.
Forages with higher RFV are typically more digestible and have higher nutrient density making it better for high producing animals such as cattle, chickens, goats, etc.
While Relative Feed Value testing looks at many different factors, the two main components of the test are Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) and Intake Potential (IP). Dry Matter Digestibility is the measure of how much of the feed can be digested by the animals. Intake Potential will gauge how much they are likely to consume based on the physical characteristics such as fiber and plant maturity.
Forages with higher intake potential are typically more palatable and easier to consume, encouraging animals to eat more. Factors like forage texture, fiber content, and maturity influence intake potential. A forage with high intake potential allows livestock to consume larger quantities, and in turn improves their overall nutrition and performance.
Forages with higher Dry Matter Digestibility are more efficiently utilized by animals, providing better nutrition and promoting optimal growth and production. DMD directly impacts the energy available to the animals, and therefore, plays a critical role in calculating RFV. The higher the DMD, the higher the RFV.
Relative Feed Value is dependent on many different factors, such as the number of cutting, time of harvest, curing time, etc. Each of these plays a critical role in determining the nutritional quality of the feed. There is a delicate science to obtaining the best results and at NRV Ranches we are dedicated to getting it right!
Why do RFV testing?
Ranchers and farmers perform RFV testing to ensure efficient feeding and nutrition for their livestock. This score helps livestock farmers make informed decisions about their forage so that they can optimize animal performance and improve overall health.
A high RFV score impacts feed management to improve animal production and foster more efficient feeding. By understanding the nutrients and the digestibility of the forage, ranchers can avoid over or underfeeding their livestock. This in turn will result in cost savings! Informed decisions on feed value will help ranchers to meet their animals nutritional requirements without overspending on feed.
Why does RFV matter to me?
While it may be surprising, relative feed value impacts everyone! Its highest impact is on the agriculture industry but everyone is impacted by the highs and lows of RFV scores especially in food production and agricultural economy.
First, it provides more affordable and higher quality food. RFV influences the quality of livestock feed and high-quality forage leads to healthier, more productive animals which means better meat, milk, and other animal-based products. This can result in more nutritious and affordable food options for consumers.
It also has a significant environmental impact: By optimizing forage quality through RFV testing, ranchers can reduce the need for additional feed and resources. This helps conserve land, water, and energy making the practice all the more sustainable and can reduce the carbon footprint of food production.
Accurate RFV testing helps ranchers optimize their feed, which will improve productivity and can lower costs for both ranchers and consumers, contributing to more stable prices in grocery stores and better availability of animal products.
In essence, while RFV is a technical measure in livestock nutrition, its effects ripple out to influence the quality, affordability, sustainability, and economic efficiency of the food that everyday people rely on.
Noel Roberto Vallejo Ranches performs Relative Feed Value testing each season and will be testing periodically throughout the upcoming season. Our Relative Feed Value from our first cutting of 2024 is 159.5 meaning we have higher quality forage, perfect for beef and dairy cattle. We will be posting our updated RFV score after our first cutting of 2025, stay tuned!