[luciano3p]

Hi folks.
Im starting a new project at my farm and i'll use hay as feed for cattle.

So, i got to know...
In the cultivation of hay (such as grass Tanzania), what proportion of hay nutritive value will degrade over time after cutting? How to ensure nutritional quality? There is no additive (e.g., NaOH or urea, etc.) which increases the nutritional value of hay proven?

 

[Nitram]

Generally speaking people feeding inferior or older hay will supplement with other products such as mix 30 a Molasis based product mineral bocks or tub proteins cubes etc. Martin

 

[weatherman]

I found an article on the Internet that may answer your question. Although the article theme is about horses, the analysis has value for the premise of your question. http://www.safergras...pdf/old_hay.pdf

 

[hay wilson in TX]

Probably 20 years ago, in the Hay & Forage Grower two researchers published their on going results.

One was in Michigan and there they saw molding and loss of nutrients in storage.
The other was in New Mexico and they saw little or no molding or loss of nutrients in storage.

You can do a lot of things in a dry climate with no problems, while storing hay in a wet and humid climate, even in an enclosed barn, you can have problems.

Both researchers produced useful information.

Now I have corrisponded with a lady in Colorado who can only feed hay made from native grasses.
They only get hay that has been combined for seed.
Except for less than an hour of grazing that straw is all her horses eat.
They are pets that tend to founder.
Lesson learned, a horse can do reasonably well on some really poor quality forage. If they will eat it.