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Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
What all is hay used for?
Uses of Hay Feeding hay to livestock is the number one use for hay. Almost any animal on the farm – horses, cattle, sheep, goats, etc. – will eat hay. Hay is usually fed to livestock when they cannot graze or be in a pasture, either because it is winter or because of drought.
What is the difference in hay and straw?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it’s usually usually wheat straw that we see. Hay often is made up of a combination of different plants growing in a field or meadow.
What is the purpose of hay in a garden?
Aside from well-aged compost, hay is arguably the best mulch for a vegetable garden. Like straw, it’s a good insulator, effective against weeds, and breaks down quickly to enrich the soil. Alfalfa hay is especially good, because as a legume, it provides nitrogen to your soil.
Is hay just dried grass?
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
Can you eat hay?
Hay is edible for humans. It just is not as digestible for humans as it is for other animals like cattle. Some upscale restaurants serve food with hay in it. It can be used as a flavoring component in food or as a presentation component or garnish.
Is hay a good mulch?
Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you’ll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.
Do cows eat hay?
The simple answer is hay. Most people are familiar the a cows diet in the summer, acres and acres of lush green grass. Hay is the staple forage in most cattle operations. Hay is forage (grass and alfalfa) that has been cut, dried, and made into bales.
Can chickens eat hay?
While not common, providing hay for chickens can be a good thing. It’s an inexpensive way to provide food and a little entertainment to these animals. A hay bale in a chicken run gives birds the opportunity to search for a variety of tasty treats. Many chickens don’t enjoy eating straw or hay, however.
Can you put hay around tomato plants?
Place a 2- to 3-inch layer of hay around your tomatoes. Arrange the hay so it does not touch the stems or leaves of your tomatoes since this can increase the likelihood of fungal problems transferring from the soil to your tomato.
Does hay help grass?
The hay helps hold the newly turned soil in place, preventing erosion so the seeds stay contact with the soil. Also, it adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, helping feed your grass as it grows.
Can hay be used in compost?
Add yard and garden residues and other organic materials to the compost pile, including leaves, grass clippings, straw and hay, sawdust, and finely chopped or shred tree and shrub prunings. You can also put coffee grounds and eggshells on your compost pile.
Is hay different than grass?
Hay is a grass or can be a form of grass. When referring to it as a form of grass, it is a cut grass that has been cut then dried for the purpose of becoming an animal feed or food. Hay is a common food commodity for livestock owners who raise horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
Is hay better than grass?
Nutritional Baselines for Hay Grass Hay averages 10.8% protein and 12.9% NSC. Alfalfa Hay is also higher in Calcium, with about 3 times as much as Grass Hay. This can become important when considering the ideal Calcium:Phosphorus ratio for horses, which should be about 2:1.
How long is hay good?
If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.
Does hay taste good?
Description/Taste The scent Hay imparts is sweet and herbaceous. Hay is most often varied in length and very dry. Hay imparts a subtle toasty, herbaceous flavor, and a clean, pastoral aroma.
Do rats eat hay?
Supply grass hay to stimulate natural foraging and nesting, which helps in the prevention of obesity. Many rats especially enjoy Oat Hay, which often contains tasty immature seed heads.
Can humans survive on grass?
Humans cannot eat grass because we do not have a digestive system that is designed to handle the high abundance of cellulose contained within. Our system simply cannot break down blades of grass and use them in a meaningful way.
Should I use hay or straw in my garden?
Hay and straw both make great mulch in the garden as long as they weren’t treated with persistent herbicides or contain noxious weed seeds. Using hay or straw as mulch in the garden has the following benefits: Reduces moisture loss and reduces watering. Keeps soil cooler in hot weather.
Can I use hay to cover grass seed?
Spreading a layer of straw over a newly seeded lawn will help the seeds to germinate properly while protecting the seeds from wind, heavy rains, and birds or other hungry visitors. Treating the hay before you spread it will eliminate most of the weed seeds so they don’t end up sprouting in the middle of your new lawn.
How long does hay take to decompose?
Some growers will leave the hay out for one full year to be fully saturated and partially decomposed. This will help germinate or eliminate some or all of the weed seed.
