With the invention of agricultural machinery such as the tractor and the baler, most hay production became mechanized by the 1930s. Most animals are fed hay in two daily feedings, morning and evening. Texas A&M University - Department of Animal Science - What About Hay? [25][29] The exterior may look gray on the surface after weathering, but the inner hay retains traces of its fresh-cut aroma and maintains a faded green tint. [25] People who handle the hay may use hayforks or pitchforks to move or pitch the hay in building haycocks and haystacks. John T. Schlebecker, “Whereby We Thrive: A History of American Farming, 1607-1972,”, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "An Introduction to Feeding Small Ruminants", "The Best Method of Managing the Hay Crop", "Equipment to rake and merge hay and forage", https://www.farmcollector.com/implements/hay-press-zmhz12fzbea, "Contamination on McElmurray farm from human sewage sludge fertilizer", "Milestone Herbicide Creates Killer Compost", "Haystack – Define Haystack at Dictionary.com", "The Beaverslide: Homegrown Haying Technology", "Haystack Fires (Spontaneous Combustion)", "Hazards Associated with Using Farm Tractors to Move Large Bales", "JAMA - Fatalities Associated With Large Round Hay Bales—Minnesota, 1994-1996", Hay Harvesting in the 1940s instructional films, Center for Digital Initiatives, University of Vermont Library, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hay&oldid=994822721, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from July 2015, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2007, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2008, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the New International Encyclopedia, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the Encyclopedia Americana with a Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from Collier's Encyclopedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 18:45. [42][43], Hay is generally one of the safest feeds to provide to domesticated grazing herbivores. Legumes in hay are ideally cut pre-bloom. Haber can be used in a number of idioms, which are phrases that have a meaning apart from the meanings of the words in them. [3], Different animals also use hay in different ways: cattle evolved to eat forages in relatively large quantities at a single feeding, and then, due to the process of rumination, take a considerable amount of time for their stomachs to digest food, often accomplished while the animal is lying down, at rest. Methods and the terminology to describe the steps of making hay have varied greatly throughout history, and many regional variations still exist today. In contrast, silage is generally cut too early and too frequently to produce seed or allow birds to complete nesting and the high levels of fertiliser used severely reduces the variety of species and habitats. The stack was made waterproof as it was built (a skilled task) and the hay would compress under its own weight and cure by the release of heat from the residual moisture in the hay and from the compression forces. Typical hay crops are timothy, alfalfa, and clover. The cut material is allowed to dry so that the bulk of the moisture is removed but the leafy material is still robust enough to be picked up from the ground by machinery and processed into storage in bales, stacks or pits. Once hay is cut, dried and raked into windrows, it is usually gathered into bales or bundles, then hauled to a central location for storage. Until the middle of the 19th century, hay was cut by hand with sickles and scythes. For other uses, see, "Haystack" and "Haystacks" redirect here. A mixture of legume and grass hay is a good compromise between providing the benefits that legumes offer (higher protein and energy for a horse) and keeping a horse occupied with forage for more of the day. Loose stacks are built to prevent accumulation of moisture and promote drying, or curing. [20], For animals that eat silage, a bale wrapper may be used to seal a round bale completely and trigger the fermentation process. If hay is stacked with wet grass, the heat produced can be sufficient to ignite the hay causing a fire. Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, causes cold-like signs and symptoms, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion, sneezing and sinus pressure. [41], Due to its weight, hay can cause a number of injuries to humans, particularly those related to lifting and moving bales, as well as risks related to stacking and storing. Hay must be fully dried when baled and kept dry in storage. It is also fed when an animal is unable to access pasture- for example, if the animal is being kept in a stable or barn. Pickup balers have a rotary toothed pickup mechanism to lift the windrows and deliver the hay to a feeding device that places it in the baling chamber on each stroke of the compressing plunger. Specific types of hay are fed to animals depending on their nutritional needs. Depending on region, the term "hay rick" could refer to the machine for cutting hay, the hay stack or the wagon used to collect the hay. Usually hay is produced by using grasses and legumes that are cut before plants get mature and die back. However, it is also fed to smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. This is reflected in the idiom to make hay while the sun shines. Hay baled before it is fully dry can produce enough heat to start a fire. [25] In other areas, hay is stacked loose, built around a central pole, a tree, or within an area of three or four poles to add stability to the stack. And, of course, straw is a very popular decoration for the front porch during the fall season. Wet-area farmers and those in climates with heavy snowfall can stack round bales under a shed or tarp, but can also use a light but durable plastic wrap that partially encloses bales left outside. For example, an endophytic fungus that sometimes grows on fescue can cause abortion in pregnant mares. With the advent of large bales since the 1960s, today hay is often stored outdoors because the outer surface of the large bale performs the weather-shedding function. Oat, barley, and wheat plant materials are occasionally cut green and made into hay for animal fodder; however they are more usually used in the form of straw, a harvest byproduct where the stems and dead leaves are baled after the grain has been harvested and threshed. Hay is also stored under a roof when resources permit. “Hay balers are used to compress and package hay for easier handling,” says Alan Rotz, Ph.D., USDA – Agricultural Research Service. Some contain more protein and carbohydrates to fuel hard working horses. Thus the biggest challenge and risk for farmers in producing hay crops is the weather, especially the weather of the particular few weeks when the plants are at the best age/maturity for hay. Large round hay bales present a particular danger to those who handle them, because they can weigh over 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and cannot be moved without special equipment. To that end, compost and field rotation can enhance soil fertility, and regular mowing of fields in the growth phase of the hay will often reduce the prevalence of undesired weeds. Key points Large round bales, which typically weigh 300 to 400 kilograms (660–880 lb), are more moisture-resistant, and pack the hay more densely (especially at the center). The ratio of volume to surface area makes it possible for many dry-area farmers to leave large bales outside until they are consumed. Straw is the stalk that is left over after a grain, like barley, has been harvested. [39] Exposure to hay can also trigger allergic rhinitis for people who are hypersensitive to airborne allergens. However, to save labor and increase safety, loaders and stackers were also developed to mechanise the transport of small bales from the field to the haystack. If it rains while the hay is drying, turning the windrow can also allow it to dry faster. When this occurs, there may be a period of intense activity on the hay farm while harvest proceeds until weather conditions become unfavourable. A lucky break in the weather often moves the haymaking tasks (such as mowing, tedding, and baling) to the top priority on the farm's to-do list. Although straw is also used as fodder, particularly as a source of dietary fiber, it has lower nutritional value than hay. Hay may also include legumes, such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clovers (red, white and subterranean). The continuous hay baler arrived in 1914. Grass hay cut too early will not cure as easily due to high moisture content, plus it will produce a lower yield per acre than longer, more mature grass. On the other hand, care must also be taken that hay is never exposed to any possible source of heat or flame, as dry hay and the dust it produces are highly flammable. Amount must be monitored so that animals do not get too fat or too thin. Once the dried hay was rowed up, pitch forks were used to pile it loose, originally onto a horse-drawn cart or wagon, later onto a truck or tractor-drawn trailer, for which a sweep could be used instead of pitch forks. On this page you will find factsheets and information about allergic eye disease, hay fever and allergic rhinitis. The general purpose for carrying out job evaluations using this or similar job evaluation methods is to enable organizations to map and align their roles/jobs. It is frequently used when talking about some weather conditions: Hay luna = The moon is shining/There is moonlight o Hay neblina it is foggy. Hay consists of grasses, and sometimes other types of plants, that are dried and used for livestock feed and other applications. Hay is geared toward being a nutrient-rich food for livestock, while straw is more often used for bedding instead of food. Hay can be soaked in water, sprinkled with water or subjected to steaming to reduce dust. In some places, this is accomplished by constructing stacks with a conical or ridged top. Hay cutting machines can be used for both grasses and legumes. Drying can also be sped up by mechanized processes, such as use of a hay conditioner, or by use of chemicals sprayed onto the hay to speed evaporation of moisture, though these are more expensive techniques, not in general use except in areas where there is a combination of modern technology, high prices for hay, and too much rain for hay to dry properly.[9]. They evolved to be continuously on the move while grazing, (covering up to 50 miles (80 km) per day in the wild) and their stomach digests food quite rapidly. A hayride, also known as a hayrack ride, is a traditional American and Canadian activity consisting of a recreational ride in a wagon or cart pulled by a tractor, horses or a truck, which has been loaded with hay or straw for comfortable seating. [44] Some plants themselves may also be toxic to some animals. Given that the protein content of grasses and legumes decreases and fibre and lignified tissue increases as growing plants advance in maturity, a … [21] In very damp climates, it is a legitimate alternative to drying hay completely and when processed properly, the natural fermentation process prevents mold and rot. Has become popular may grow on living plants under a roof when resources permit rick or. In a greater quantity than haylage because it is also fed to smaller domesticated animals such as grain vitamin... 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