| Show LIVESTOCK COULD EAT MORE OF BETTER HAY HAV hay is one of the cheapest feeds for forage consuming livestock but the amount of hay an animal will cat cant be increased much unless tho the quality of the forage is improved says R R graves in charge of cattle feeding investigations for the bureau of dairy industry in the 1938 annual report of this bureau it is pointed out that dairymen can do much to reduce costs by feeding better belter roughage united states department of agriculture scientists find it possible to increase the value of hay about 20 per cent by earlier cutting and improved methods of curing handling and storing early cut hay is more palatable digestible and nutritious protein content decreases and crude fiber increases with maturity proper curing and storage keeps leaves from shattering and retains a good green color the best ind indicator icat of high vitamin A content that early cut grass hay is nutritious was proved recently in in a test under mr graves direction in which four holstein friesian cows were carried through a complete lactation period on grass hay alone the grass was made into hay after an average of 40 days growth on irrigated landl land the cows produced an average of pounds of milk and pounds of butterfat butt erat this was per cent as much milk and percent as much butterfat as their production for a previous lactation period on full feed they consumed an average of pounds of hay i per cow daily each cow consumed 19 percent more digestible nutrients than needed for maintenance and production requirements the four animals were in normal health at the end of the day lactation period and had gained an average of 52 pounds |
