Forage

2013-09-18T11:05:00Z

Valwee: /* Characteristics */

==Grass==
[[File:Grasshastie.jpg|Grass|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Typically based on ryegrass, but often mixed swards with cocksfoot, fescues, timothy, and legumes (e.g. clover). It is present in rough/hill grazing (often with heather, rushes, mosses), permanent pasture and rotational leys, the latter often high yielding italian or perennial ryegrass monocultures.
 

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Grass (young)||15 - 20 || 11.5 - 12.5 ||150 - 250
|-
|Grass (mature)||25 - 50 ||9.5 - 10.5 ||50 - 130
|}
 
===Associated Problems===

Scours, hypomagnesaemic tetany (especially in winter, or in rapidly growing grass (e.g. spring,/early summer, late summer/autumn), bloat (especially as mixed legume swards), pasture-induced laminitis.
 

==Silage and Haylage== 
[[File:Big bale silage2.jpg|Silage|200px]]
[[File:Big bale silage.jpg|Big Bale Silage|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Silage is a fermented crop with a low dry matter content. It is cut at a relatively early stage of development and stored under anaerobic conditions (clamp or big bale). Haylage is similar to silage but is often cut at a more mature stage and is typically baled. Haylage has a higher pH and DM than silage and can often be of more variable quality. With horses haylage is typically preferred (by owners) to silage.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)!! pH
|-
|Silage || 15 - 20 (20-30 clamp)(40-50 bale)|| 9.5 - 12 ||120 - 190 || 3.8 - 4.8
|-
|Haylage || 50-60 || 9 - 11.5 || 75 - 110 || 4.5 - 5.5
|}
 

===Associated Problems===
Clostridia. Listeriosis. Acidosis. Moulds/mycotoxins. Poor fermentation (pH > 4.8) or too acidic (pH < 3.8).
 

==Hay== 
[[File:Hayhastie.jpg|Hay|200px]]
[[File:Hay3.jpg|Hay|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Hay is dried grass, either naturally or artificially (dependent on the weather). It is cut at a relatively late stage of maturity and is typically of variable quality in colour and smell, and nutritive value. There are various types of hay such as ryegrass, meadow, and timothy. 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Hay || 80 - 90 || 7.5 - 10.5 ||50 - 150
|}
 
===Associated Problems===
Moulds/mycotoxins.
 

==Straw== 
[[File:Straw1.jpg|200px]]
[[File:Straw4.jpg|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Straw (usually barley or oat for feed) can be treated with alkali, urea or ammonia. It is commonly used as a roughage source for growing ruminants, and especially animals being reared in cereal beef systems.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Straw || 86 - 88 || 6.1 - 7 || 34 - 38
|-
|Straw (ammoniated)|| 84 - 88 || 7.4 - 7.8 || 68 - 75
|}
 
===Associated Problems===
Moulds/mycotoxin. Impaction within GI tract (especially horses). High intakes of straw (+ grains) are associated with hypomagnesaemic tetany (due to high K levels in grain and straw)
 

==Whole-Crop Cereal Silage== 
[[File:Near Knaps of Bedlam - geograph.org.uk - 1304243.jpg|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Maize whole-crop silage has high energy concentration while having a low protein concentration. It is harvested when grain is in the late dough stage. Barley, oats, wheat, and triticale are also used for whole-crop cereal silage either as monocultures or mixed with legumes (e.g. peas) to improve protein content. They are also high in energy while low in protein. Whole-crop cereal silages are fed as sole forage or mixed with grass silage.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Maize whole-crop silage || 22 - 35 || 10.5 - 12 ||65 - 110
|-
|Barley whole-crop silage || 30 - 40 ||9 - 11 ||80 - 110
|}
 
===Associated Problems===
Clostridia. Listeriosis. Acidosis. Poor fermentation (pH > 4.8) or too acidic (pH < 3.8).

==Clovers and Lucerne==
[[File:Clover.jpg|Red clover|200px]]
[[File:White Clover(Trifolium repens).jpg|White Clover|200px]]
[[File:Lucerne flowers.jpg|Lucerne|200px]]
===Characteristics===
Clovers are either white or red varieties. Clovers and Lucerne (aka Alfalfa) have a higher protein concentration and a higher mineral concentration (e.g. calcium) than grasses. Lucerne can be grazed or conserved as a monoculture. Lucernes also have a higher protein concentration than grasses. Lucerne silages tend to be more difficult to achieve a good fermentation, inoculants are usually required.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Clover || 18 - 20 || 9 - 10.5 || 170 - 250
|-
|Lucerne || 22 - 25 || 8 - 10.5 || 150 - 200
|-
|Lucerne Hay || 84 - 88 || 8 - 10.5 || 200 - 225
|}
 

===Associated Problems===

Bloat (frothy). Red clovers and some Lucerne varieties may also contain significant levels of phytoestrogens that cause subfertility.
 

==Kale and Rape==
[[File:Kale1.jpg||200px|Kale]]
===Characteristics===
Kale and rape are considered good, digestible fodder. They have a higher protein concentration, carbohydrate concentration and calcium concentration than grasses. Rape has a higher protein concentration than kale.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! DM (%) !! ME (MJ/kg DM) !! CP (g/kg DM)
|-
|Kale || 14 || 11 || 160
|-
|Rape || 14 || 9.5 || 200
|}
 
===Associated Problems===
Goitrogenic. Haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria. Feed to pregnant ewes with caution (can observe malformed, dead lambs at parturition).
 
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|flashcards = [[Animal Nutrition Flashcards]]
}}

[[Category:Animal Nutrition]]
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Forage