Forage Conservation And Feeding

The role of conservation in british farming, the principles of conservation, the feeding value of conserved forages, crops for conservation, mowing and field treatment, haymaking, silage making, grass-drying, methods of feeding, feeding conserved forages, conservation in different farming systems.

"This book is essential reading for all those involved in forage conservation and provides a fascinating insight into current practices and the science underpinning forage conservation. Key subject areas include opportunities to enhance the fermentation process through crop manipulation prior to ensiling and the use of bacterial additives applied during ensiling. Latest developments in techniques for chemical and biological characterisation of silages are reviewed, including grass silage, alternative forages (whole crop wheat and maize silage) and tropical forages. The book also focuses on current developments in feeding of beef and dairy cattle with conserved forage with particular emphasis on factors influencing intake, digestion and animal performance. Overall this is an important reference book, which provides an excellent overview of current developments in forage conservation and utilization of conserved forage in animal production systems."

Discusses hay, hay crops and crop residues in a wide range of situations. This publication deals with the haymaking process, cultivation of hay crops and management of natural hay fields as well as the harvest and conservation of crop residues as animal feed. A series of case studies from Asia, Africa and Latin America illustrate how hay and crop residues can be integrated into production systems.

Forage includes plant species directly or indirectly consumed by animals. The book carries information on all theoretical and practical aspects of conservation and utilization of forages as silage, hay and haylage.

Provides information on the many aspects of fodder conservation, particularly its integration into livestock grazing systems. First it outlines the basic principles of ruminants digestion and pasture and crop growth. Then hay and silage making are described in detail.

Current pressures to maximise the use of forages in ruminant diets have renewed interest in fast, inexpensive methods for the estimation of their nutritional value. As a result, a wide variety of biological and physiochemical procedures have recently been investigated for this purpose.This book is the single definitive reference volume on the current status of research in this areaCovers all forages eaten by ruminant animals

Harvested Forages deals with the subject of food for domestic animal feeding. Such food is called "forage" and includes things like alfalfa and other plants usually referred to as "hay." Topics include the ways that this forage is produced, how it is harvested, and ways that it should be stored. Other issues that are dealt with include various criteria and measurement procedures for assessing forage nutritive quality, potential health hazards associated with particular plants and plant toxins, and various issues of plant growth, pest control, and soil fertility--among other topics. This book is essential for any institution with a strong program in range sciences, animal sciences, animal feeding and nutrition, and related programs. Synthesizes and summarizes a vast and widely dispersed literature in animal science Serves as a reference for managers of harvested forages as well as all those involved with the forage production industry

Natural and artificial drying; The drying process; The losses involved in drying; The nutritive value of hay and died grass; Ensilage; The ensilage process; The losses involved in silage; The nutritive value of silage; Utilization of dried and ensiled crops: conservation products for dairy cows; Conservation products for growing and fatterning cattle; Conservation products for sheep, horses, pigs and poultry; General conclusions.