Alfalfa hay can contain almost two times the protein and three times the calcium of grass hay. Protein content will vary depending on when the hay is cut and the maturity of it at the time of cutting. Some animals such as a dairy goat or a dairy cow providing milk for your family, may need the higher calorie and higher protein content provided by Alfalfa hay. But for an animal that just needs forage to keep the rumen functioning and to provide some calories and nutrition, a grass forage may be the better choice.
Grass hays include bromes, fescues, orchard grass, rye grass, wheat grass, timothy, coastal Bermuda or Bluegrass. Your feed store may carry a mixture of alfalfa and orchard grass, or a mixture of timothy and orchard grass. If your animals need a particular level of protein or energy from their hay, it is a good idea to ask what the bale consists of.
I do not recommend feeding alfalfa unless the animal requires the higher energy and nutrition. Thirdly, the grains, such as oat straw or barley straw, can be fed as a nutritional feed if it is cut young and still has the grain intact.
After the grain is harvested and the stems are mature and woody, it is straw and the main purpose will be for bedding use or ground cover. Straw is usually cheaper than hay. They have plenty of free choice hay available. Lactating animals, including nursing mothers, are often fed an alfalfa hay to keep them from losing conditioning during their milk production.
Whenever you need to switch from a grass hay to a legume hay, do it gradually. The type of feed contributes greatly to the acid balance in the digestive tract.
By Dr. Find Us Online. Would you like to be a Standlee dealer? Contact Us. October 6, Do you know what the difference is between hay, straw and premium forage? Share this blog post:. Search Tools Blog. The wilted or fresh grass is packed, forming an anaerobic environment.
On that account, the ensiling process allows the natural sugars of grass to be fermented by the activity of microbes. Fermentation of water-soluble carbohydrates results in organic acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid. As acids accumulate within the packed forage, the pH of the mixture drops until it becomes unfavorable for the growth of microbes.
At this point, the forage is ready for storage. Generally, the process takes around 21 days to be completed. The bales are wrapped in plastic to prevent air from entering. Too wet silage may be subjected to spoilage and nutrient loss. Hay: Grass that has been mown and dried for use as fodder. Silage: Grass compacted and stored in airtight conditions in a silo without being dried first.
0コメント