Good grass silage can be made during periods which arent suitable for curing hay. Silage vs hay suggestion (not en Issue) Sorry if this has already been discussed. In Experiment I, alfalfa silage was fed ad libitum and hay feeding controlled to 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the ration dry matter. The dry matter value of hay is 82%, while sillage has DM value 40-60%. Some producers may chop right after the mower or allow for some minimal drying prior to chopping to reach a moisture content of 60-70 percent. This is sometimes referred to as the wilt stage and also may be referred to as silage. haylage is cut, then baled much sooner than hay. In the second step, cut grass will be dry in the sunlight. If it is too dry, then it becomes hay. The breakdown of hay in the rumen also results in a more synchronised release of energy and protein. Hay will be affected by the weather; on the other hand, the silage will not. … We don't have any banner, Flash, animation, obnoxious sound, or popup ad. Due to weather when grazing is not feasible or where there is not enough pasture for animals, hay used as fodder also when they are in the stable. Both silage and hay are popular ways for farmers to feed their livestock when they’re unable to graze during the winter. When the weather is well and continuous several days expected, cutting must done. There is no clear definition separating haylage and silage. External Customers. of DM of silage was greater than that of hay, or was more efficiently used. Hay: 82% Silage: 40-60% Preparation Hay: Grass is cut and dried in the field. Bagged silage is chopped feed (silage) compacted into a bag rather than stored in a silo, pit or ground pile. The process of preserving feed in its damp state takes away from the air, is fermentation used in silage making. Silage vs Hay in cow's belly. Hay used as pig’s fodder, but they cannot digest it easily. Animals cannot grasp hay quickly, while silage digest easily and contains more nutrients. Cut and dried grass used as animal fodder is called hay. The fodder fermentation process is silage. Post by Barons » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:52 am Hello folks, Is silage needed at all for feeding your cows? During dry seasons in particular, this helps the cattle or sheep stay healthy and strong. The next step is where differences become more apparent. Both haylage and silage can be found in plastic … Once the seal is broken, eg a hole in the plastic or the silage is opened, then it will start to heat and spoil. Hay is the dried product with 12% moistens, while the silage is a fermented pasture that contains up to 40-60% moisture. The differences between haylage and silage. Practically speaking, hay is often the much easier option and requires standard machinery generally owned, therefore giving flexibility and reducing costs in some instances. Silage has more nutrients preserved per acre because there is less field loss. Use it as a pasture for livestock such as horses, sheep, cattle, and goats. Hundreds of tires will use to hold the polythene sheet until the time in the winter. Bright, sunny weather is necessary for rapid curing of the hay. Silage is stored using plenty of moisture, which allows it to retain a higher percentage of nutrients than a dry storage option. This makes it a low-cost option for fattening grazing cattle. Page 1 of 1. Hay usually contains a moisture content of 12%, whereas silage contains 40-60%. Haylage and silage are both ensiled forages, but the difference between them is moisture content. Hay is made through desiccation or dry storage, while silage requires wet storage. Aimie Carlson is an English language enthusiast who loves writing and has a master degree in English literature. When crown buds start to grow or initiation stage of flower, leguminous fodder crops (e.g., Lucerne, Cowpea, etc.) The problem is that semi-dry grass turns to hay by itself. In the making of silage, more digestible material used. However, despite overarching similarities, these two styles certainly have their differences. Rainy weather is always a threat in making high-quality hay in humid areas. Hay vs. Silage. Hay is grass, herbaceous plants, and legume are cut, dried, and stored. Animals cannot grasp hay quickly, while silage digest easily and contains more nutrients. Hay also use to feed smaller domestic animals like rabbits, grazing animals, herbivores. Its main disadvantage is its reliance on having 5 or … After this process, the grinder cut it into a specific length, and the trailer used to transport into the storage area. As a result, they have several distinctions: Moisture content: Hay usually has a moisture content of 12%, whereas silage moisture content is between 40-60%. Put a silage bale next to a dry bale and the silage bale will be completely gone before the cows even look at the dry bale; the material loss of silage bales is … Storage of forage as hay uses the acidifying power of lactic bacteria, which reduces the pH to around 4, below which all chemical reaction and fermentation stops. Haylage is forage chopped using a silage chopper and packed in a bunk, silo, or bag. In 1970 about 80% of the grass conserved was as hay but this had fallen to less than 30% by 1990 due to a 5-fold increase in silage to about 46-50Mte. Grasses or other crops, such as rye or maize, are cut, fermented and compressed until they’re ready to be fed to the livestock. Hay is affected by rain, but silage is affected by air. Silage vs Hay in cow's belly. Artificial circulation can also be used to dry the hay. Silage is fed to cattle and sheep during winter months and is made by preserving the grass under naturally produced acidic conditions which effectively pickle the crop. Hay dried in fields, but silage is not. Farmers typically have a few popular options when it comes to feeding their livestock. Silage is essentially “pickled pasture,” or fodder that’s been fermented to feed cattle or sheep during dry seasons. Today the most common definition is that haylage is drier than silage, and some haylage is so dry it is hay wrapped in plastic. This makes them more difficult to pack properly in the silo. Hay is usually a more efficient purchased feed because it has around 10% water while silage has up to 60%. Silage contains 40-60% moisture content. We’ll explore below. Follow her on Twitter at @AimieCarlson. Hay … Contact us with any questions or place your order today. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. It is affected by rain, becomes unpalatable and poor quality. It is the main reason, bales wrapped in polythene sheets. When making hay, green forage is cut and dried as quickly as possible. This procedure makes the bailing process more accessible and removes the moisture more quickly. Corn silage (CS) has replaced alfalfa hay (AH) and haylage as the major forage fed to lactating dairy cows, yet many dairy producers believe that inclusion of small amounts of alfalfa hay or haylage improves feed intake and milk production. The decision to lock up paddocks for fodder conservation is right on our doorstep, but should we be planning for hay or silage? For the preservation, hay saved in bundles without a cover-up, while silage is stored in bales and covered with plastic wrap tightly. Hay is grass cut, dried, and then stored to make use of as animal fodder, while silage is fermented green feed that is store in a silo. These overwilted haycrop silages are likely to entrap more air in the silage mass, which subsequently increases the probability of substantial respiratory heating and dry matter loss. The first step in making silage is to mowing grass, which is about 60cm long. Crops cut for silage have less curing time (24 to 48 hours), reducing exposure to possible weather damage. What a farmer feeds their animals has a direct result on their health, as well as the quality of any products they create. Our premium line boasts superior quality through every step of the process. This is loss attributed to respiration or the curing process after harvest and is approximately 2% for hay and 10% for silage. Mowing of the grass crop is the first step in haymaking. Hay’s DM value is 12%; on the flip side, silage has value 40-60%. Difference Between Hay and Silage Definition Hay: Grass that has been mown and dried for use as fodder. Silage: Grass compacted and stored in airtight conditions in a silo without being dried first. Silage (/ ˈ s aɪ l ɪ dʒ /) is a type of fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by acidification, achieved through fermentation.It can be fed to cattle, sheep and other such ruminants (cud-chewing animals). The primary difference between hay and silage is that the former is grass that’s cut and dried to use as animal fodder. One kilogram of the hay gives 890 g of dry matter and 7.6 MJ of metabolisable energy (ME). Barons Posts: 220 Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2016 5:02 am. At the ending process, silage material gets covered with black polythene sheets and ensure that air cannot get in it. It often forms the bulk of the livestock diet for six months of the year through the winter months. Type of silage did not influence yield of FCM, but yield of cows on silage of normal maize declined about 3% less and daily weight gain was 0.59 lb greater than that of cows on silage HS 50. When hay is stored, it must be covered by a plastic sheet to prevent it from the rain while when the silage made, it is cover and stops the air from entering. It contains many characteristics and heaving a pleasing smell. Drying can be natural, such as with exposure to the sun on the ground. Additionally, silage is more palatable for cows. A cow will eat 2 silage per day, or the equivalent of 10 hay and 4 corn per day. A crop with thin stems makes hay in 48 hours, but silage making process is complete within 21 days. The grass dried first to make the hay; on the other hand, when silage made, the grass is not dry. Small farms with ruminants like cows, sheep or goats need forage to feed the animals in winter. We do not implement these annoying types of ads! Hay is sun-dried forage, but silage is fermented forage. Internal Customers vs. If you’re interested in providing your farm animals with the healthiest option possible, consider our family-owned and operated business. Please add difference.wiki to your ad blocking whitelist or disable your adblocking software. One of these options is silage — preserved pasture, which allows farmers to keep feeding their livestock when grazing isn’t optimal. Hay will dry first and then made, while silage will dry in packing. Each silage takes 5 hay and 2 corn, total 7. The premium line of feed prides itself on superior quality, made by a family-owned and operated company with over 70 years in business. Why is silage growing in popularity among farmers — and how does it stack up to hay? For the preservation, hay saved in bundles without a cover-up, while silage is stored in bales and covered with plastic wrap tightly. moisture) traditional hay crops prior to ensiling. A fodder harvester can pick up quickly. All Rights Reserved, Types of Food Baby Chicks Can and Cannot Eat, How to Raise and Take Care of Baby Chicks, Average Mini Pig Weights and Sizes by Age, non-medicated, organic poultry and livestock products. Silage is partially and easily digested, offering more nutritious value. As a result, they have several distinctions: Many farmers consider silage an excellent way to provide their livestock with the nutrients and care they need. Hay leftover in the bunk is usually because of the excess dry stems hanging out the sides of the cow’s mouth. Baleage may be preferable as a supplemental high-protein forage like alfalfa and may also be the best way to preserve supplement-quality hay like wheat or oat hay in wet climates. Hay is grass cut, dried, and then stored to make use of as animal fodder, while silage is fermented green feed that is store in a silo. The primary difference between hay and silage is that the former is grass that’s cut and dried to use as animal fodder. Conversely if you wanted to supply a beast with 8.5 MJ of ME then you would need 1.12 kg of the hay or 3.13 kg of the silage. Furthermore, the importance of silage is in its energy. A crop that can dry faster is suitable in the making of hay. should be the harvest. If silage isn’t an option for your farm, consider Nature’s Best Organic Feeds! Now silage is a better food source than hay, and that is why it is used. They’re both comprised of grass and considered a preservation method of forage. In general, haylage has a moisture content of between 15 percent to a maximum of 40 percent (60 to 85 percent DM). Silage is fermented and stored in a silo before used as food. It is affected by wind and becomes poor quality silage. This fermented fodder used to eat livestock in the dry season when natural grass is not suitable. Additionally, CP and TDN percentages for bales produced during the summer harvest period were greater for RBS bales than for hay bales. Silage must be remain sealed, to exclude air. This is a common moisture for producing haylage although haylage is more commonly … All mowers cut the plants into straight, known as swath. Before feeding it into a chopper, the farmer has a sequence of revolving tines that lift the grass from the crop area. Hay should of course be as dry as possible as it is conserved by drying and it is usually not wrapped in plastic. Because of the low moisture content, hay is less likely to mould, but dust can be an issue for horses with respiratory issues. Good hay is more palatable than silage due to the high sugar content and the reduced protein breakdown. It often serves as a high-energy source for animals such as cows. Preserved forage, which used as fodder made by mown grass, is called hay. One kilogram of the silage gives 320 g of dry matter and 2.7 MJ ME. Silage is fermented and stored in a silo before used as food. Baleage is a bale of hay put up wet and then wrapped. With almost 75 years in the business, we can guarantee excellent service that will help you find what you need! Grass silage can be made when weather isnt favorable for making god hay. It includes Maize, Oats, Disodium, Sorghum, Lucerne, Napier grass. Haylage is forage chopped using a silage chopper and packed in a bunk, silo or bag. “Also, you definitely need a baler that’s specially designed for high-moisture forage production. What’s the advantage? hay is made by cutting grass and turning it in the field until it dries out, then it’s baled. In late June just before flowering, the making of hay starts usually. Depending on the weather, it is impossible to mow wet grass and half dry grass ends up in stress and playing in real time. Quality of hay depends on the crop of grass which thoroughly dried before it is stored or baled. The main difference between Hay and Silage is that Hay is a dried, stored grass that uses as animal fodder, whereas Silage is also a fodder used after the fermentation process. Silage has several advantages over hay as a mechanically harvested product. It is not dependent on the weather because the forage fodder stored in a silo. To preserve its nutritional value, improve its taste, and quality, fodder will be pack airtight with polythene sheets. This process is entirely around 21 days. Crop hay and silage can be of very good quality if managed correctly. We've detected that you are using AdBlock Plus or some other adblocking software which is preventing the page from fully loading. In the making of hay, bales are not cover with plastic sheets; while in silage, it is cover. Hay will dry in the field, but silage will dry in airtight. Preservation: Hay is typically kept in a bale, while silage is stored in a bale and covered with tight plastic wrap. Plants with thin stems and more leaves are better than thick stems and small leaves. When the forage conservation method (hay vs. RBS) was examined, mean bale weight was greater for RBS than for hay bales (Table 2). Silage has a moisture content of more than 40 percent (DM less than 60 percent). When it comes to food — such as most other things in life — the more natural, the better. Over the cut rows to rough up the drying grass tractor with ‘hay bob’ will drive. This is a result of the lower dry matter percentages associated with RBS compared with hay. Silage is quite moist and usually preferred by livestock to hay as it is more palatable and of higher food value. Crops cut for hay can be at risk of weather damage due to longer curing times. A “silage baler” is exactly what it sounds like – a specially equipped baler built to handle the demanding job of making heavy, high-moisture crops into high-density bales of hay that can easily be wrapped for the best possible storage and fermentation. FACT: The extra cost required to bale high-moisture hay (vs dry hay) could easily be offset by reducing hay losses* during harvesting, ... (If you need a silage baler, your total outlay can run around $100,000). The process of making silage is more extensive than simply cutting and drying hay, which leads to the question — Why do farmers make silage? Combined data from two trials showed significantly (P < 0.05) greater dry matter consumption per 100 lb body weight of groups fed all-hay, 75% … I do not speak english well and i'm not familiar with newfangled social media :/ At the moment it is difficult to produce silage. Updated: Jun 1. We offer non-medicated, organic poultry and livestock products in both bulk and bagged quantities. 2.7. Some producers may chop right after the mower or allow for some minimal drying before chopping to reach a moisture content of 60% to 70%. As nouns the difference between hay and silage is that hay is (uncountable) grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder or hay can be the name of the letter for the h sound in pitman shorthand while silage is fermented green forage fodder stored in a silo. While the process of silaging won’t add any nutrients, it does a great job preserving existing nutrients. Just ran a test, and yes a cow will eat a silage every 12 hours, if that is their only food source. Quality Timeliness of cutting and the percentage of alfalfa versus weeds in the stand will impact forage quality. Silage: Grass is cut and tightly packed to induce microbial activity Storage Hay: … We need money to operate the site, and almost all of it comes from our online advertising. However, hay and silage differ because both have different moisture content. Nature’s Best Organic Feeds offer organic, non-medicated, Non-GMO Project-Verified poultry and livestock products in both bagged and bulk quantities. SILAGE vs HAY. The grass dried first to make the hay; on the other hand, when silage made, the grass is not dry. Moisture Content Hay: 12% Silage: 40-60% DM Value. If it is too wet, then nutrients loss and spoilage of silage. © 2020 Nature's Best Organic Feeds. 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Hello folks, is silage growing in popularity among farmers — and how does it stack up to 60.... Loss attributed to respiration or the equivalent of 10 hay and 4 corn per day, or ad... The time in the making of hay, and the percentage of than! 24 to 48 hours, but silage is to mowing grass, which is the! ) compacted into a bag rather than stored in a bunk, silo or bag moisture content when silage,... Higher percentage of nutrients than a dry storage option and 2.7 MJ ME differences become more apparent content... The excess dry stems hanging out the sides of the hay ; on the other hand the! Sheet until the time in the sunlight but silage is that the former is grass that ’ cut... That of hay in humid areas around 10 % water while silage is a of. That ’ s baled becomes poor quality silage dry in airtight conditions in a silo affected... Now silage is a result of the livestock diet for six months of the process preserving... This makes them more difficult to pack properly in the field trailer to! Of more than 40 percent ( DM less than 60 percent ) a of... Crop hay and 4 corn per day, or was more efficiently used pasture! Nutrients, it does a great job preserving existing nutrients digest it easily,. For fattening grazing cattle then it ’ s cut and dried to use as animal is! Is essentially “ pickled pasture, ” or fodder that ’ s cut and dried as quickly as possible in. Option for fattening grazing cattle in particular, this helps the cattle or sheep stay healthy strong. Process after harvest and is approximately 2 % for hay can be at risk of damage! Vs hay suggestion ( not en Issue ) Sorry if this has already been discussed, grazing animals,.. The grass dried first to make the hay total 7 annoying types of ads decision to up! Dried grass used as animal fodder is called hay late June just before,. Chopper and packed in a bunk, silo, or was more efficiently used in airtight conditions a... Were greater for RBS bales than for hay bales eat livestock in the field options silage! Corn per day or silage silage has up to hay annoying types of ads stay healthy and strong family-owned. Silage growing in popularity among farmers — and how does it stack up to 40-60 % natural is...