IV. Forbes - non-grass herbs which animals eat (weeds)

V. Browse - edible parts of woody vegetation

 

 

I. Use of Forage Crops

A. Pasture

1. Need to control grazing - shift location of salt, shade, water; avoid close late fall grazing; avoid over- & under- grazing

2. Clip pastures - control weeds & get rid of course , unpalatable material

3. proper fertilizer / lime

4. scatter droppings

5. interspecies grazing

B. Soilage (Green-Chop) fresh forage that is cut & chopped in the field, then fed to penned animals (mostly dairies)

1. Advantages

a. minimizes nutrient losses (VS. hay)

b. minimizes wastage

c. less fencing

d. produces maximum yield/acre

2. Disadvantages

a. special equipment

b. labor

c. weather-related problems for harvesting

C. Hay - dehydrating green forage to <20% moisture

1. Common Losses

a. shattered leaves (too dry / too much handling)

b. heat damage (too wet / microbes)

c. fermentation (slow drying)

d. bleaching (too long / ¯ carotene)

e. leaching (rained on)

2. Relative Humidity VS. Moisture

graph of % H2O vs Rel. Humidity

3. Haymaking Systems

a. Long, Loose Hay - labor, bulky

- still popular in western U.S.

b. Chopped Hay - chopped in field & blown into storage area

c. Packaged Hay

(1) Bales

- rectangular (60 to 140 lbs - very common)

- large rectangular (1000 to 1500 lbs; dairies)

- Round bales (850 to 2000 lbs)

- can be dangerous

- wastage

- storage space

- feeding

(2) Stacks - 1 to 6 tons

- long, loose hay is hydraulically pressed

- not easily transported

- prone to weather loss

(3) Pelleting

4. Hay Storage

- stacks in arid areas

- square bales - barn or covered

- round bales - stack on well-drained site

- wraps?? (waste??)

- losses VS. cost of shed

D. Silage - product of acid fermentation of green crops that have been compressed & stored anaerobically

1. Needs

- proper moisture (50 to 70%)

- proper stage of maturity

- proper packing

- proper drainage

- exclude air

2. Making Silage

Phase 1- plant cells continue to respire; microbes use O2; CO2 & heat produced

Phase 2- acetic acid is produced (pH: 6.0 to 4.2)

Phase 3- lactic acid foramtion begins and acetic acid formation decreases

Phase 4- lactate production continues for 10 to 14 days, temperature gradually ¯, bacterial action ceases (pH ~ 4.0)

Phase 5- silage constant; if pH not low enough - butyric acid production! L

 

II. Processing Feedstuffs (WHY)

A. Grinding

1. Hammermill

2. Burrmill (more uniform grind, pass between two plates)

B. Dry Rolling

1. Compressed between two rollers (flake)

C. Pelleting

1. Made with combination of heat, moisture, & pressure

D. Heat Treatment

1. Steam Rolling (crimping; not much improvement over dry rolling) - short term exposure to steam

2. Steam Flaking (long term exposure to steam), alters starch, feed becomes more digestible (cereal smell - quite pleasant)

3. Preasure Flaking (more expensive)

4. Roasting (puffed & slightly carmalized product)

5. Extruding (heat & presure à forced through a hole makes a ribbon à breaks into flakes

6. Popping (700-800oF for 15 to 30 seconds)

7. Micronizing (exposed to microwaves, expands - but doesn’t pop)

E. High Moisture Harvesting (25 to 30% moisture)

1. No ADG effect

2. Feed efficiency is improved

F. Reconstituted High Moisture Grain

1. Add H2O to dry grain to á moisture to 25-30%

2. May improve feed efficiency but not as much as high moisture harvesting (leaching??)

G. Acid Preserved High Moisture Grain

1. Preserve with organic acids (acetic:propionic or propionic) thouroughly blended with high moisture grains. Prevents mold growth.