Factors Influencing Feed Preservation Or Spoilage

The success of haymaking depends on the rapid and almost complete removal of moisture from plant material. It is thus highly dependent on hot, dry weather. Several factors influence the final quality of hay. These include:

• The type of material from which the hay is produced. Hay made from legumes is obviously higher in protein than hay made from grass or grain materials.
• The growth stage at which the material is harvested. As a plant matures its dry matter content increases, its fibre content increases and its digestibility decreases.
• The method used to make the hay. Methods include sun-drying, drying in a shed with warm air, drying in a shed with cool air or artificial drying.
• The form in which the hay is fed to the animal. More wastage and poorer intake occur with hay in the long-form, versus hay that has been chopped, ground and pelleted. Hay fed in the long-form is also often prone to selection by the animal (in other words the animal selects the tastier bits and leaves the bits that are less palatable). Chopped and pelleted hay also takes up much less storage space.
• When feeding hay, the farmer should always be on the lookout for moulds (perhaps if the bale was accidentally wet during storage). Moulds are particularly dangerous to pregnant animals and horses.

The success of silage making depends on the ability to preserve plant material in a wet form. It does not depend on the weather for its success. Several factors influence the final quality of silage. These include:

• The type of material from which the silage is produced.
• The dry matter content of the material that is ensiled.
• The rate at which the required pH is reached.
• Whether anaerobic conditions in the silage are maintained.
• Whether the silage is protected from rain and sun.
• The size of the particles that are ensiled influences the degree to which the material can be compacted and thus has a direct influence on the anaerobic circumstances in the silo.