Animal feed processing is one of the efforts to increase livestock productivity. The processing of animal feed is closely related to the process of preserving the ingredients. In the dry season, farmers usually find it challenging to get forage feed. Meanwhile, the supply of forage will certainly decrease. For this reason, hay technology is present as a solution in animal feed processing.
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The Purpose of Preserving Animal Feed
The utilization of technology in animal feed processing aims to avoid wasting excess forage after harvest. In addition, hay production can be carried out directly post-harvest as stock supplies during the dry season or as feed reserves during long trips. With the existence of preservation technology, some farmers also end up doing special production to provide preserved hay for their livestock.
What Is Hay and How Is It Different from Silage?
Hay is forage that has been cut and field-dried until its moisture content drops to a safe storage level, typically below 20%. The drying process relies on sun and wind to remove moisture from the plant material. Once dry, hay can be stored for months without fermentation.
Silage, by contrast, is forage preserved through anaerobic fermentation at a much higher moisture level, typically between 50 and 70%. Where hay depends on dryness to prevent spoilage, silage depends on the complete exclusion of oxygen. Both are effective preservation methods, but they suit different conditions and different types of forage. Farmers in wet climates where reliable field drying is difficult often prefer silage, while those in drier regions favor hay.
Types of Hay for Animal Feed
The types of hay for animal feed are distinguished based on their constituent materials, the way they are dried, and how they are stored.
- Grass hay is derived from grasses such as timothy, ryegrass, or bermudagrass. It has a moderate protein content and is widely used for cattle, horses, and sheep.
- Legume hay is derived from leguminous plants such as alfalfa (lucerne), clover, or vetch. It has a higher protein and calcium content than grass hay, making it particularly valuable for dairy cows and growing livestock.
- Mixed hay is derived from a combination of grasses, legumes, and other forage ingredients. It offers a balanced nutritional profile and is commonly used when a specific forage type is not available in sufficient quantity.
- Barn hay is dry hay that is stored in a shaded barn and has been aired before storage. This type is commonly used in areas with frequent rainfall, where outdoor storage would expose the hay to excessive moisture.
- Dehydrated hay is an artificially dried type produced from selected high-quality forage crops. The forage is cut and dried rapidly, preserving the green color, minimizing leaf shatter, and maintaining high nutritional content.
- Salted hay is hay to which salt has been added in a range of 0.5 to 1.0% to improve palatability and stimulate livestock appetite.
Hay Quality Standards at a Glance
Understanding quality indicators helps farmers evaluate hay before feeding it to livestock.
| Quality Indicator | Good Hay | Poor Hay |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Green to light green | Yellow, brown, or bleached |
| Smell | Fresh, slightly sweet | Musty, sour, or rotten |
| Moisture Content | 14 to 20% | Above 20% (mold risk) or below 12% (too brittle) |
| Leaf Retention | High (leaves intact) | Low (excessive leaf shatter) |
| Mold / Dust | None visible | Visible mold patches or heavy dust |
| Temperature in Storage | Below 40°C | Above 55°C (spontaneous heating risk) |
How to Preserve Hay
Looking at the weather conditions in different areas, hay storage methods are generally divided into three types.
- Stack storage is the open storage of hay, either with limited or full sunlight exposure. This method is suitable in dry climates with low rainfall risk.
- Barn storage is storage in a shaded, ventilated structure. This method provides better protection from rain and UV degradation and is preferred in wetter regions.
- Bale storage involves compressing the hay into round or square bales and wrapping them with bale net wrap. Bales must be stored at a moisture content of no more than 20%.
As a side note, although hay should be stored dry, it should not be allowed to completely lose all moisture. A minimum level of moisture is still needed so the forage does not become too brittle and break apart during handling and packing. The ideal moisture range for baled hay is between 14 and 20%.
Common Preservation Errors and How to Avoid Them
Errors in hay storage are common and can result in significant feed loss. Knowing what to do and what to avoid will protect your investment.
Things that must be done: make sure the hay is sufficiently dry before storage, store it in a shaded area or under cover, and use quality bale net wrap to keep round bales compact and protected during outdoor storage.
Things that must be avoided: never store hay at too high a moisture content. Hay baled above 20% moisture will begin to heat internally as aerobic bacteria and fungi consume the plant material. In severe cases, this internal heating can reach temperatures high enough to cause spontaneous combustion and fire. To prevent this, check stored bales at least twice a week by monitoring their surface temperature and smell. Do not stack bales too tightly without adequate air circulation, and discard any bale that shows signs of mold or unusual heat.
From the information above, we can conclude that the preservation of animal feed in the form of hay must be done carefully. Make sure it is sufficiently dry, free from mold, and checked regularly. Properly stored hay can serve as a reliable long-term feed reserve for your livestock.
For farmers who need an alternative when hay-making is not possible due to wet weather, silage fermentation is a practical and nutritionally effective option worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hay Preservation
Q: What is the ideal moisture content for storing hay?
The ideal moisture content for hay going into storage is between 14 and 20%. Hay baled below 14% becomes too dry and brittle, making it difficult to handle and increasing leaf shatter losses. Hay baled above 20% retains too much water, which promotes mold growth and aerobic bacterial activity. This generates heat inside the bale. If moisture content is high enough and the heat is not detected early, it can lead to spontaneous combustion. A hay moisture meter or probe is the most reliable tool for checking moisture before baling.
Q: How long can hay be stored without losing nutritional quality?
Well-made hay stored in dry, shaded conditions can maintain acceptable nutritional quality for six to twelve months. After this point, the protein content and digestibility begin to decline gradually. Hay stored outdoors without cover will degrade faster, particularly due to rain leaching nutrients from the outer layers of the bale and UV exposure bleaching and breaking down the plant material. Barn-stored hay consistently lasts longer and retains better feed value than uncovered outdoor bales.
Q: What causes hay to heat up in storage and how dangerous is it?
Hay heats up in storage when it is baled at too high a moisture content. Residual water in the plant material allows aerobic bacteria and fungi to remain active inside the bale. Their biological activity generates heat as a byproduct. Moderate heating up to around 40 to 55°C is common in the first week after baling and is generally not dangerous. However, if heating continues above 55°C, it indicates excessive microbial activity and significant dry matter loss. At temperatures above 70°C, spontaneous combustion becomes a real risk. Checking bale temperatures regularly in the first weeks of storage is an important safety practice.
Q: What is the difference between grass hay and legume hay for livestock?
Grass hay, made from species like ryegrass, timothy, or bermudagrass, has a moderate protein content typically between 8 and 12% on a dry matter basis, along with good fiber levels suitable for ruminant digestion. Legume hay, made from plants like alfalfa or clover, has a higher crude protein content of around 16 to 22% and significantly higher calcium levels. Legume hay is particularly beneficial for dairy cows, pregnant and lactating animals, and growing young stock with higher protein demands. Grass hay is well suited for maintenance feeding of mature cattle, horses, and dry cows that do not have high energy or protein needs.
Q: When should I choose silage instead of hay?
Silage is the better choice when weather conditions make reliable field drying impossible. If your region experiences frequent rainfall during the harvest window, the forage will not dry down to safe hay moisture levels in time, and baling it wet will result in spoiled hay. In these situations, cutting the forage at higher moisture levels and preserving it through anaerobic fermentation as silage is a more practical and nutritionally sound option. Silage also tends to retain higher nutrient levels than hay because it avoids the field drying losses associated with sun-curing.
Q: Can hay and silage be fed together to livestock?
Yes, hay and silage are commonly fed together as complementary components of a balanced ration. Hay provides dry roughage that supports healthy rumen function, while silage contributes higher moisture and fermented nutrients. This combination is especially common for dairy cattle, where silage forms the bulk of the ration and dry hay is included to maintain rumen mat structure and adequate fiber intake. The ratio depends on the nutritional analysis of both feeds and the specific requirements of the livestock being fed.
This article was last reviewed and updated by the Silopak Editorial Team on May 6, 2026. Our team periodically revisits published content to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with current best practices in livestock feed management and silage preservation.
