If you are a beef producer, you may have heard about the benefits of haylage for cattle. However, haylage has several limitations, and there is no single method of production that works for everyone. Listed below are some of the main benefits of haylage for cattle. In addition, you’ll learn how to properly store haylage and what you should look for when choosing a haylage type. This article will discuss three of the most common types of haylage.
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Leafy spurge haylage
Leafy spurge is a plant native to Eurasia. The species has spread throughout the U.S. and is now found in over eight million acres in Minnesota alone. To combat this infestation, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture released leafy spurge beetles at over 2,000 sites between 1994 and 2010. These beetles were extremely effective at controlling the plant, greatly reducing its populations. The following are some of the steps that producers can take to keep the plant at bay.
The plant has extensive roots, located at the top foot of the soil. They grow deep enough to reach fifteen feet. These roots have large nutrient reserves and can recover quickly from environmental stresses, mowing, and other control methods. Leafy spurge’s root system can spread up to 15 feet per year from the crown, and its woody roots have numerous buds, which produce new shoots. Leafy spurge is toxic to livestock, so it is best avoided in pastures.
Direct-cut haylage
There is no clear difference in the nutrition value of direct-cut haylage for cattle compared with silage produced from heavily wilted alfalfa. In fact, both types have about the same nutritional value, and there was no statistical difference in milk production. However, the difference in digestibility is not that significant. In a recent study, researchers at the Western Washington Experiment Station evaluated direct-cut silage and heavily wilted alfalfa silage for cattle for three years.
Haylage is a great food source for cattle, but it is important to know the time and weather conditions of your area. If the weather is not ideal for harvesting haylage, the hay may become moldy and pour-quality feed. So, you must chop up your haylage while the weather is nice, then cover it up and wait for it to ferment. This method will preserve the nutrients. Using plastic wraps will reduce the risk of spoilage.
Fermented haylage
The use of fermented haylage for cattle is a popular method of providing feed for livestock. It can be made in a variety of ways, including drying in the field or baling. The main advantage of this method is that it is easier to produce, and its drying time is significantly reduced. While haylage is much faster than hay, it should be completely dry before it can be fed to animals.
The fermented haylage has a distinctive smell. It is an acidic odour that is normal during fermentation. Look for signs of decay and a sour smell when analyzing the silage. The moisture content should be at least 45 percent. A moisture probe is a handy tool for determining the moisture content in a bale. In addition to using a moisture probe, you can microwave the forage for a few minutes to determine its pH level.
Storage of haylage
There are a few things to remember when storing haylage for cattle. Individually wrapping bales will help to minimize the amount of spoilage. Studies have shown that losses from haylage stored in individual bales at the right moisture content range from three to five percent of dry matter. Additionally, haylage stored in individually wrapped bales is easier to market off-farm, as it is less likely to undergo widespread spoilage.
Regardless of the type of bale system you use, you must remember to wrap each bale before putting it in a silo. If you use individual wrapped bales, the process will take less time. If you use multi-bale systems, the process will take less time and reduce your operating costs. Stack haylage is a good low-cost option for beginner farmers. If you don’t have a lot of experience, start with a small bale.
Listeria monocytogenes
The natural reservoirs of Listeria monocytogenes are soil and mammalian GI tracts. When livestock eat infected silage, large numbers of bacteria can enter through small cuts or mucous membranes. The bacteria can then travel up the GI tract, infecting the cow’s brainstem. Symptoms of Listeriosis in cattle vary depending on which cranial nerve is infected. Animals with the disease will experience drooling, leaning to one side, and head tilt.
During the study, researchers identified several potential risk factors for infection with Listeria monocytogenes in grazing cattle. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in haylage and silage for cattle was closely associated with management practices and ruminal lesions. Genetic homogeneity was found between the strains, and the resulting profiles were nearly identical in non-infected and molded areas. This facilitated rapid typing of Listeria, including the identification of strains with similar characteristics.
Nutritional value of haylage
The nutritional value of haylage for cattle is assessed in several ways. The dry matter content is measured by using generally accepted methods, the digestibility of nutrients is assessed through balancing experiment, and the chemical composition of feces and urine is determined at the Analytical Laboratory of Orenburg SAU. The results show that feed is nutritionally equivalent to fodder. Its digestibility is superior to feed with the same nutrient content, but less flavor and odor.
The digestibility of dry matter in the Fodder galega diet was higher than that of the NVES diet, while the digestion of crude protein and fatty acids was lower. The consumption of haylage with biopreservative enhanced the intensity of milk synthesis, resulting in higher yields. In addition, feeding galega and alfalfa haylage together increased the yield of milk by 13.9% and 14.6%, respectively.
