We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
The study of two years' hay crops indicates that the composition of the hay steadily changes throughout the period commonly covered by the hay-making season.
The nature of the change depends to some extent upon the character of the season. In the summer of 1909 when the climatic conditions favoured steady growth there was a steady production of protein and fibre and a considerable assimilation of ash ingredients, notably silica. In the following summer the effects of a severe climatic set-back in the later part of June was seen in an almost complete suspension of growth, and notably in the production of protein.
In both seasons there was a steady fall all round in the digestibility of the hay, which in the end more than counterbalanced the increase in weight of the crop.
In both seasons the best results were obtained by cutting about the beginning of July. A fair amount of latitude in the time of cutting —say, a week or 10 days—may be allowed, however, without very seriously impairing the nutritive value of the crop. There was evidence, nevertheless, in each year of appreciable deterioration after the middle of July.
page 305 note 1 Voelcker, Journ. Roy. Agr. Soc. 2nd Ser. III. 41 (1867).Google Scholar
page 305 note 2 Wolff, , Landw. Jahrb. (1879) VIII. I, Suppl. pp. 34–78.Google Scholar
page 307 note 1 The results obtained with duplicate plots in the following year (p. 314) give an indication of the margin of error that should be allowed for in interpreting the results.
page 308 note 1 Barnstein, , Landw. Versuchsst. 1900, 54, 327.Google Scholar
page 310 note 1 Some of the pentosan matter would be included in the crude fibre so that these two sets of figures overlap to some extent.
page 310 note 2 Landw. Versuchsstationen, 1899, 51, 383.Google Scholar
page 310 note 3 Henneberg, and Stohmann, , Neue Beiträge zur Begründung einer rat. Fütterung der Wiederkäuer, 340 (1870).Google Scholar
page 310 note 4 Kellner, Die Ernährung der landw. Nutztiere. 4te Aufl. S. 40.
page 311 note 1 Kellner's averages for meadow hay and red clover hay of medium quality are 51% and 53% respectively.
page 311 note 2 Kellner, loc. cit. 84, 86, 88, 93.
page 311 note 3 loc. eit. 580, 581.
page 314 note 1 vide Pott, Handbuch der tierischen Ernährung, I. 149.Google Scholar
page 315 note 1 See footnote to table, p. 310.
