Hay Making

Forage conserved by being dried in the sun is called hay. Hay-making is not a common practice among small livestock keepers in the tropics, probably because of the very poor quality of mature tropical grass. Hay is the oldest and most important conserved fodder. It can be made with simple equipment, manually or with mechanization. Many small-scale farmers make hay and store crop residues to carry livestock through periods of shortage. Practices vary in different parts of the world, but follow some basic principles.

Suitable Crops for Making Hay Methods of Making Hay Storing hay Feeding Hay to Livestock The Box Baler References and Further Reading   See also Silage Legume Leaf Meal

Hay is a leafy dry fodder, green in colour, and free from moulds. It should contain less than 15% moisture. The process of drying the green crop without significant change in aroma, flavour and nutritive quality of forage is called "curing". This involves reducing the moisture content of green forages, so that they can be stored without spoilage or further nutrient loss. Green forage with 80-85% dry matter preserves most of the nutrients.

Crops with thin stems and more leaves are better suited for haymaking as they dry faster than those with thick, pity stem and small leaves. Leguminous fodder crops (e.g. Cow pea, Lucerne, etc) should be harvested at the flower initiation stage or when crown buds start to grow, while grasses and similar fodder crops should be harvested at the pre-flowering stage. At this stage, the crop has maximum nutrients and green matter. After flowering and seeding, grasses contain fewer nutrients. In order to make the process of curing easier, the fodder should preferably be harvested when air humidity is low.

Forage needs to be cut before it is fully mature (long before it has seeded) to maximize its nutritive value. As plants mature, their lignin content (a component of fiber) increases and traps the nutrients within indigestible cell walls. Although cutting hay early will result in lower total volume, the increase in nutritive value will more than compensate for reduced yields. However, in monsoon climates, this is often when there is still extensive rainfall. If cut forage is left to dry in a moist environment, this will encourage the growth of moulds. The mycotoxins that these moulds may produce can be extremely harmful to livestock, as well as to people handling it. If instead, forage cutting is delayed until after the rains have stopped, then it is likely that much of the forage will then be mature, with a consequent drop in its nutritive value. However, such forage may still make a valuable contribution to feeding livestock. It is better to make safe hay of lower nutritive value than try making more nutritious hay but with an increased risk of mycotoxin poisoning.

When the forage is cut, it needs to be laid out in the sun in as thin a layer as possible, and it should be raked a few times and turned regularly to hasten drying. If there is sufficient labour, then chopping the forage after it has been cut will hasten drying. Leaves are more nutritious than the stems, and so when cutting forage, it is important that it is cut with as much leaf and as little stem as possible. However, during drying, the leaf (being more brittle) will tend to shatter. Hay should therefore be handled with care, to try and minimize the amount of leaf that is lost in this way. Hay should not be stored until it has dried completely, since wet or moist hay (in addition to encouraging the growth of moulds) may also ferment. The heat produced during fermentation can be a fire risk.

The dried forage is then collected and baled when the moisture content is low, ideally less than 15%. This helps storage and requires less space. Crops with thick and juicy stems can be dried after chaffing to speed up the drying process and to prevent loss of nutrients.

Field curing is conducted during bright sunny weather but may result in bleaching of the forage and loss of leaves due to shattering. To avoid this, drying can be done in barns by passing hot air through the forage. Although artificial drying produces hay of good quality, it is expensive and beyond the reach of small and marginal farmer but can be attempted on a community basis in areas where there is a need, and the necessary facilities.

Haymaking is one of the best methods of preserving forages. Feeding hay to livestock helps reduce the amount of concentrate feeding, and thereby, the cost of feeding. The low moisture content of hay considerably reduces cost. Forage available during the wet season or monsoon period that otherwise goes unused could be put to the best possible use by this process.

Hay can be fed to sheep and goats, both of which are selective feeders. This means that, if enough hay can be made, then the sheep and goats can be fed excess hay, i.e. provide them with a greater total volume than they will eat. The sheep and goats will then select the most nutritious parts of the hay (the leaf), and will tend to leave the stems. They will gain more benefit from being able to select their feed in this way - both in terms of health and growth. The feed that they leave (the more stemmy part of the hay) can either be fed to larger livestock (cattle and buffalo) or can be mixed with dung (this will occur naturally if the livestock are fed on the floor). The resulting mixture provides a good material for production of "farmyard compost", and is valuable for crop production or horticulture.

Feeding on the ground results in considerable feed wastage and contributes greatly to the spread of disease, especially internal parasites. If sheep and goats are able to stand in their feed or in their feeders, they will inevitably defecate and urinate in the feed. Feeders need to be raised off the ground and constructed in such a way to keep the animals out as much as possible.

Troughs There are various designs for feeding troughs. U-shaped feeders are easier to clean than feeders with square bottoms, although if constructing from wood, a flat bottom is easier. Metal or hard plastic pans or containers are useful for hand feeding small numbers of animals. Do not try to use softer plastic containers as these can be chewed, especially by goats. Old car tyres cut in half can also be used. Troughs are versatile and can be used for many different types of feed, but hay is best fed from a rack. Racks Hay as well as cut green vegetation (cut and carry) can most easily be fed in racks made with slatted sides and hung up so that the hay is presented off the ground and at approximately head height. Galvanized metal racks are more durable than racks made of wood, but a lot more expensive. There should be enough feeder space for all animals to eat at the same time. Providing more than one feeder is a good solution. Do not place the racks too high. If animals are constantly reaching up to get at the hay, dust and particles from the hay will get into their eyes, and the aggravation caused by the sharp particles can result in an unpleasant condition called "Red Eye".

Mycotoxin is the name for a number of toxins produced by some fungi. They primarily affect grain (particularly stored grain) but also can contaminate stored forage - including hay. Mycotoxin-related health problems in livestock depend on the specific mycotoxins involved, but may include reduced appetite, vomiting, intestinal problems, neurological problems and reproductive problems. Mold and accompanying mycotoxins can occur in hay when moisture content is greater than about 20%.

Although most fungi do not produce harmful products, a few produce chemicals called mycotoxins. In small amounts these can be harmful to animal or human health. Presence of fungi or their spores does not necessarily mean that mycotoxins always will be produced. Circumstances that favour the growth of fungi may, under some circumstances, result in production of mycotoxins. However, fungal growth frequently occurs with little or no mycotoxin production. Once formed, mycotoxins are stable and may remain in feeds long after the fungus itself has died. In general, pigs and poultry are more susceptible than ruminants to mycotoxin induced health problems at an equivalent dosage.

Sheep are very sensitive to forage quality and intake of contaminated feed is likely to be low.

Suttie, J.M. (2000). Hay and Straw Conservation. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series No. 29. In particular, Chapter 7: Hay from Natural Pasture.