Hay making
Lecture No.: 17

Hay
• Hay making is an art in which the fodder is
kept for future use in lean period. Since it
contains large quantity of moisture it is to be
dried properly to increase its keeping quality
without reducing its nutritive value. The
forage growers follow a different type of
processes for making the green fodder as hay

• Hay is the main source of feed for cattle
during lean months. The forage crop is cut
before it is fully ripe and dried for storage as
hay. Hay is more nutritious and palatable than
straw. It is leafy pliable green and free from
mould, weeds and dust and has a pleasant
characteristic smell and aroma

Properties of Good Hay
1. The fodder cut at the proper stage will have the maximum nutrients,
therefore will make better hay. Any delay in cutting the fodder for hay
making results in woody and lignified stems which will have deteriorated
nutritive value.
2. Good hay will be having a major proportion of the leaves preserved. The
leaves are richer in nutrients and if there is any shattering of leaves
during hay making it reduces the quality of hay.
3. Green colour of hay is an indication of its quality. We should preserve the
green colour by minimizing the bleaching, leaching arid fermentation
losses.
4. It should be made out of thin stemmed crops so that it is soft and
palatable.
5. The crop used for hay making should be free from weeds and poisonous
plants to get good hay.
6. The hay should have 20-23% moisture when stored.
7. Good hay should be free from dust and molds.
8. It should have a pleasant aroma which adds to its palatability.

Types of Hay
• Legume hay
• Legume hay are of special value to dairy cattle. The hay contains
higher digestible nutrients and the digestible protein is of superior
quality. They are rich sources of carotene, vitamin A, E and K. It is
considerably rich in calcium and is highly palatable. Legume hay are
made out of leguminous plants like lucerne, berseem, cowpea,
groundnut, and kudzu. The digestible crude protein content range
from 6.7-14% in these types of hay. Legume hay are usually fed to
young l calves in calf starter rations.
• Some of the perennial fodder legumes like Centrosema pubescens,
Glycine javanica, Atylosia scarabaloides and Dolichos lab lab for
feeding to livestock either as such or converting them into hay.

Types of Hay
• Non-legume hay
• The out-turn per hectare is more but the hay
made is less palatable and nutritious compared to
legume hays. The non-leguminous hay contains
less proteins, minerals and vitamins. This type of
hay may be made from either crops or grasses.
• Some of the important grass hay include
Ahmednagar hay, Ambala hay, Anjan hay, Arali
hay, Aurangabad hay, Bolaram hay, Dalhousie hay,
Dub hay and Meerut hay.

Types of Hay
• Grain Crop hay
• Grain crop hay are made from oats and barley,
harvested at milk stage. It has low protein and
mineral content but are rich in carbohydrates.
Oat is the only graminaceous forage crop of
winter. For hay making in February -March the
oat needs to be kept for about 120-144 hours in
shade and 96-120 hours in sun to dry.
• Total digestible nutrients of oats is 59.8% and the
crude protein is 6.1 per cent.

Types of Hay
• Mixed hays
• Mixed hay is made from a mixed crop of
leguminous and non-leguminous plants. Such
a crop is generally cut early as they do not
come to the flowering stage simultaneously.
The nutritive value of mixed hay will depend
on the proportion of leguminous and non-
leguminous plants.

Steps in hay making
• 1. Selection of suitable varieties
• 2. Proper stage for cutting
• The stage of growth of plant is the most important
consideration in harvesting the forage crops. When the
crop is cut at early stages, the yield is less but the
product will be more nutritious. Smaller yields and
frequent cuttings increase labour cost.
• For lucerne, the first cutting is done at early bloom
stage and the second and subsequent cuttings are
done when one-tenth to one fourth of the crops are in
bloom or when new shoots begin to develop from the
crown.

Steps in hay making
• A. Curing
• Losses in nutrients due to leaching from rain is the major loss when one
tries to make hay during monsoon season. The leaching losses are
negligible if the rain falls just after cutting of the crop. Losses increase with
the advancement of curing if leaching takes place.
• Moisture content
• moisture content of 70-80% but this is too much for hay making, so the
following moisture content has to be kept for making good hay.
• (i) For loose hay -25-28% moisture
• (ii) For bundled hay -22-25% moisture
• (iii) For chopped hay -19-22% moisture.
• two thumb rule methods are followed.
• i. The scrape method
• ii. The twist method
• 5. Storage

Methods of Hay Making .
• Field curing
1. Cutting the crop
2. Swath curing
3. Raking
4. Cocking
5. Bailing and storing

Methods of Hay Making .
• B. Mow curing
• C. Dehydration
• D. Pelleting

Hay Making Under Rural Conditions
1. On the ground
2. On frames
3. On small fences
4. On tripods
5. On poles

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