Hay making

CROP RESIDUES

Hay making:

  • Reducing the moisture content of the green crop to a level low enough (12-14%) to inhibit the action of plant and microbial enzymes is the aim of hay making.
  • The harvested crop can be dried either by natural drying or through artificial drying, but natural drying is preferred as there it can be done without incurring expenditure towards electricity.
  • Hay can be stored satisfactorily in a stack or bale.

  • Natural drying
  • Artificial drying

Requisites for good hay:

  • Good quality hay can be produced by considering the following points.
    • Selection of crop – The crop to be made as hay should have soft pliable stem.
    • Harvesting of crop – The crop should be harvested at 2/3rd flowering stage as it is at that time the plant will have the maximum nutrient in it. Delaying the harvesting further would divert the nutrients from the plant to seed production resulting in low nutritive value of the harvested crop.
    • Hay should be leafy and green in colour as they reflect the nutritive value of hay.
    • Hay should be free from moulds and weeds.
    • Hay should have the characteristic aroma of the crop.

  • Soft pliable stem.
  • Harvest at 2/3rd flowering.
  • Leafy; green hay.
  • Free from Moulds & weeds.
  • Characteristic aroma.

Last modified: Tuesday, 27 March 2012, 11:51 AM