Small-ScaleDairy Farming Manual |
Volume 3 |
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What should you know about hay making?
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What is hay and why is feeding hay important?(5-20)
1 You should know:
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When do you cut and how do you dry your hay
crop? (21-47)
2 You should know about:
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How do you bale and store hay?(48-74)
3 You should know how to:
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How can you feed hay? (75-80)
4 You should know how to make feeders for
your:
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What do you make hay from?
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5 During the rains there is more grass than at any other time of the year. |
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6 There is enough grass for fresh feeding.
There is also a surplus of grass. |
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7 You can turn this surplus forage into silage or hay. |
| What are the steps in making and handling
hay?
8 Cutting Drying Baling Storing Feeding
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What is hay?
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9 Grass or legumes which you cut at the beginning of flowering. At this time your hay crops:
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10 Grass or legumes which you dry quickly
in the sun and wind to:
- reduce the water content of fresh plant matter - preserve the nutrients. |
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11 Hay contains about 80% dry matter and
20%
water.
Quality hay is green in colour and smells good. Green hay contains:
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Why is feeding hay important?
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12 There may not be enough grass to make hay for all your cows and calves |
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13 but you can produce enough hay for
your calves.
They need it most. |
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14 At two weeks old, feed
one handful
of
hay every day.
Gradually increase the amount. |
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15 Feeding hay to young calves:
- maintains growth when there is no grass - helps the development of the rumen - reduces milk consumption in liquid feeding so you can deliver more milk to the collecting centre.
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What equipment do you need to make and handle hay?
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16 A sickle for cutting the hay crop. |
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17 A rack for keeping the crop off the ground while drying it. |
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18 A wooden box for making the hay into bales. |
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19 A structure with a roof for storing
the
hay and keeping it dry.
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20 A rack for feeding
the
calves.
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When do you cut your hay crop?
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21 At the right time.
Too early: - not enough green matter. |
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22 When the hay crop starts flowering:
- at this time, the crop has maximum nutrients and green matter. |
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23 Too late:
- too low in protein - too high in fibre. |
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24 When the weather is dry.
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25 Too wet: - at this time, the crop will dry more quickly but do not wait for sunshine. |
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26 A drying rack can help you to overcome your problems with the weather. |
How can you dry the hay crop quickly?
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27 After cutting the hay crop, turn over often to help wilt all parts of the crop. |
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28 Load hay onto a drying rack. |
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29 Take away plant matter which touches the ground. |
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30 Cover the rack with mats before it
becomes wet by rain.
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31 If you do not have enough mats to cover the sides, brush the hay downwards so that it sheds rain. |
What kind of drying racks can you use?
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Hurdle
32 The hurdle: - is suitable for smallholders - has a capacity of 30-40 kg - is easy to assemble. |
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Heinz
33 The heinz: - is suitable for all weather conditions - is easy to make and assemble - requires a plastic tent. |
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Fence
34 The fence: - requires little material - has a capacity of 80 kg (4 poles) - can be loaded with wet hay - requires careful assembly. |
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Tripod
35 The tripod: - is better in dry climates - leads to moulding in high humidities. |
How can you make a hurdle?
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36 You need:
8 poles : 200 x 8 x 5 cm
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37 Lean one frame against the other to make the
hurdle.
Load the hay crop onto the horizontal bars. |
How can you make a heinz?
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38 Lay a dark plastic sheet
on the ground to collect the sun's rays.
Put a thick pole into the ground. Fix thinner poles in horizontal positions at right angles. |
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39 Fix support poles and a roof pole.
Load the hay crop onto the horizontal arms. |
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40 Cover with a clear plastic sheet to protect from rain. |
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41 After about two days the hay is dry
and
you can remove it.
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| How can you make a fence?
42 You need:
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| Make holes in the ground with a bar. Note the angle of the poles! | Make holes in the ground with a bar. Note the angle of the poles! | Tie the rope to the poles for the
first layer
of hay.
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43 Load the first layer
of
hay
crop on the rope.
Then tie the second rope
on
Continue to tie ropes and add layers of
hay.
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How can you make a tripod?
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44 You need:
3 poles : 200 x 8 cm
Fix pegs to support poles. |
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46 Begin loading from all three corners. Then move towards the middle. |
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47 Load the hay to form a
cone. Keep the surface area small. A tripod can carry about 500 kg of grass. |
Why should you bale hay?
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48 Legumes cut for hay lose
their leaves easily.
Baling keeps the leaves in the bale - from the field to the feeder. |
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49 Baled hay is easy to handle. |
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50 It is easy to transport |
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51 easy to store
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52 and easy to ration at feeding time.
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How do you know when hay is dry enough to bale or store?
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53 Take a handful of hay from the inner layers of the drying rack. |
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54 Twist the hay by hand and look at it carefully: |
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55 Does not break.
Shows moisture. Do not store the hay. Dry longer. |
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56 Skin comes off.
Do not store the hay. Dry longer. |
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57 Breaks a little.
Shows no moisture. Store the hay. |
How can you make a baling box?
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You need:
58 Side boards: 6 pieces 65 x 12 x 2 cm
Cross bars: 2 pieces 50 x 15 x 2 cm
End boards: 6 pieces 36 x 12 x 2 cm |
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Corners: 8 pieces 36 x 15 x 2 cm
Handles: 2 pieces 105 x 8 x 2 cm |
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61 Make a platform. This gives an even
surface when baling in the field.
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How do you use the baling box?
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62 Put two long ropes into the baling box. |
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63 Tread the hay into the box. |
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64 Tie the ropes very tightly. |
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65 Lift the baling box, and tip
the bale out.
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Why should you store hay?
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67 How can you store hay? |
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68 When the hay is ready for storing,
remove
it from the field.
More grass can grow where you put your hay racks in the field. |
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69 Store hay close to the
shed.
Then it is easy to feed your cattle.
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70 If you have no suitable storage site,
store hay on slats:
- slats to keep the hay off the ground - mats or plastic cover to keep the hay dry - bales of hay. |
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71 If you store hay for a long time, it
has lower feed value.
Hay may also become mouldy.
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72 You can store hay under the roof of the cow shed and above the housing area for calves. Storage platform
Calf pen |
| 73 You can also store hay with
silage.
The roof shelters hay and silage. The platform supports the hay and helps further drying. |
| 74 The pit gives room for forage to make silage. |
How can you feed hay?
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75 You can feed hay from hay racks in individual calf boxes |
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76 or from self feeders for calves in your exercise yard. |
| How can
you make a hay rack?
77 Make
your calf box like this (measurements in cm):
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How can you build a basket hay store and self feeder for the exercise yard?
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78 You need:
- grass for the roof - sticks and branches for the sides. Do not use nails or wire. These may hurt cattle. Use ropes to tie branches and sticks. |
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79 Make the roof from thatching grass.
You can lift the roof to add more hay. Add poles to make the feeder stronger. A feeder of this size can hold up about 250 kg of hay. |
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