pasture conservation

  • Purpose of Pasture Conservation:

    • Makes sure we use extra grass in spring when there's plenty of it, during times when there's not much grass (like in winter or drought).

    • Helps keep enough food for animals all year round.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Pasture Surplus: This happens mainly in spring when grass grows faster than animals can eat it.

    • Deficit Management: In times when grass is low, we use preserved food like hay and silage to feed animals.

Processes of Conservation

  • Making Hay vs. Making Silage:

    • Hay:

      • Dry product, usually has 80% dry matter.

      • Used mainly for animals that are not producing milk or pregnant.

      • Some nutrients are lost when hay is cut from the fields.

      • Its quality can’t get better; it’s only as good as the original grass.

    • Silage:

      • Made through a fermentation process that keeps moisture (60-70% water).

      • This process uses special bacteria to ferment the grass, which helps keep the nutrients.

Hay Making Process

  • Ideal Timing: Best to make hay when it’s dry and sunny to help it dry quickly.

  • Cutting and Drying:

    • Cut grass which still has a lot of moisture in it (80-90% water) down to less than 20% moisture for safety.

    • Use a mower to cut and create a row of grass to dry.

  • Drying Factors:

    • How quickly grass dries depends on the type of grass, weather (humidity, airflow), and how it’s managed (like turning it over).

    • Quickly removing moisture is key for good quality hay.

Nutrient Management

  • Nutrient Removal:

    • Taking hay from fields can lead to lack of nutrients in the soil.

    • We need to return nutrients to the soil through animal waste.

  • Conditioning and Handling:

    • Conditioning (mechanical damage) can help grass dry faster but may lose some nutrients.

    • Managing how short we cut the grass is important for drying and controlling nutrients.

Making Silage

  • Silage Production Goals:

    • We want silage that smells good, not bad. This depends on how we manage fermentation.

    • It’s important to control things like acidity and fermentation bacteria.

  • Two Fermentation Phases:

    • Aerobic Phase: This is the first stage right after cutting when heat is produced.

    • Anaerobic Phase: Oxygen is removed and sugars are turned into acid, which helps preserve the silage.

  • Wilting and Additives:

    • Letting grass wilt before storing it can help get more sugar and manage moisture.

    • Additives like molasses or special bacteria can help improve the fermentation process.

Losses in Silage Making

  • Types of Losses:

    • Some losses are unavoidable, like losing sugars and moisture if not managed.

    • Other losses can be avoided by ensuring good packing, sealing, and feeding practices.

Financial Considerations

  • Costing Conserved Feeds:

    • Nitrogen fertilizers are cheaper than silage or hay, which cost more to produce.

    • Hay is usually cheaper than silage, but it's important to use them wisely depending on the grass supply.

Summary Tips

  • Key Takeaways:

    • Timing is very important: "Make hay when the sun shines."

    • Understand how to manage the drying process for both hay and silage to prevent losses and keep quality high.

    • Rotate pasture areas for hay making to keep the soil healthy and reduce weeds.

    • Aim for high sugar levels in silage crops and manage fermentation carefully to avoid quality