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99-560: Henares in Spanish is the plural of henar 'hayfield' (derived from the Latin word faenum 'hay'), because formerly there were hay fields on the river's banks. 40°24′17″N 3°30′04″W  /  40.4048°N 3.50107°W  / 40.4048; -3.50107 This article about a location in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, Spain is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to

198-919: A flagellum to assist in hunting for food, and some protozoa travel via infectious spores to act as parasites. Many protists are mixotrophic, having both phototrophic and heterotrophic characteristics. Mixotrophic protists will typically depend on one source of nutrients while using the other as a supplemental source or a temporary alternative when its primary source is unavailable. Prokaryotes , including bacteria and archaea , vary greatly in how they obtain nutrients across nutritional groups. Prokaryotes can only transport soluble compounds across their cell envelopes, but they can break down chemical components around them. Some lithotrophic prokaryotes are extremophiles that can survive in nutrient-deprived environments by breaking down inorganic matter. Phototrophic prokaryotes, such as cyanobacteria and Chloroflexia , can engage in photosynthesis to obtain energy from sunlight. This

297-457: A hay knife and fed to animals each day. On some farms, the loose hay was stored in a barrack , shed , or barn , normally in such a way that it would compress down and cure. Hay could be stored in a specially designed barn with little internal structure to allow more room for the hay loft . Alternatively, an upper storey of a cow-shed or stable was used, with hatches in the floor to allow hay to be thrown down into hay-racks below. Depending on

396-501: A tedder . If it rains while the hay is drying, turning the windrow can also allow it to dry faster. Turning the hay too often or too roughly can also cause drying leaf matter to fall off, reducing the nutrients available to animals. Drying can also be sped up by mechanized processes, such as the use of a hay conditioner , or by the use of chemicals sprayed onto the hay to speed evaporation of moisture, though these are more expensive techniques, not in general use except in areas where there

495-533: A better price per ton. The two-tie small bales are the original form factor of hay bales. Balers for both types of small bales are still manufactured, as well as stackers, bundlers and bale accumulators for handling them. Some farms still use equipment manufactured over 50 years ago to produce small bales. The small bale remains part of overall ranch lore and tradition with "hay bucking" competitions still held for fun at many rodeos and county fairs . Small square bales are often stacked mechanically or by hand in

594-421: A crisscrossed fashion sometimes called a "haystack", "rick" or "hayrick". Rain tends to wash nutrition out of hay and can cause spoilage or mold; hay in small square bales is particularly susceptible. Small bales are, therefore, often stored in a haymow or hayshed. Haystacks built outside are usually protected by tarpaulins . If this is not done, the top two layers of the stack are often lost to rot and mold, and if

693-434: A fast pace. Hay reaches its peak nutritional value when all leaves are fully developed and seed or flower heads are just shy of full maturity. At this stage of maximum growth in the pasture or field, if timed correctly, the hay is cut. Grass hay cut too early retains high moisture content, making it harder to cure and resulting in a lower yield per acre compared to more mature grass. However, hay cut too late becomes coarser, has

792-430: A field-constructed stack as part of their winter feeding. Haystacks are also sometimes called haycocks; among some users this term refers more specifically to small piles of cut-and-gathered hay awaiting stacking into larger stacks. The words ( haystack, haycock ) are usually styled as solid compounds , but not always. Haystacks are also sometimes called stooks , shocks , or ricks . Loose stacks are built to prevent

891-413: A haystack by hand. To reduce labor and enhance safety, loaders and stackers were subsequently developed to mechanize the transportation of small bales from the field to the haystack or hay barn. Later in the 20th century, balers were developed capable of producing large bales that weigh up to 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg). Conditioning of hay crop during cutting or soon thereafter is popular. The basic idea

990-512: A haystack. Building the stack was a skilled task, as it needed to be made waterproof during construction. The haystack would compress under its own weight, allowing the hay to cure through the release of heat generated by the residual moisture and compression forces. The haystack was usually enclosed in a fenced-off area, known as a rick yard, to separate it from the rest of the paddock, and was often thatched or covered with sheets to protect it from moisture. When needed, slices of hay would be cut using

1089-401: A higher requirement of energy in comparison to plants. The macronutrients essential to animal life are carbohydrates, amino acids , and fatty acids . All macronutrients except water are required by the body for energy, however, this is not their sole physiological function. The energy provided by macronutrients in food is measured in kilocalories, usually called Calories, where 1 Calorie is

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1188-414: A lower resale value, and loses some of its nutrients. Typically, there is a two-week "window" during which grass is at its ideal stage for harvesting hay. The time for cutting alfalfa hay is ideally done when plants reach maximum height and are producing flower buds or just beginning to bloom, cutting during or after full bloom results in lower nutritional value of the hay. Hay can be raked into rows as it

1287-423: A moveable roof supported by four posts, historically called a Dutch roof, hay barrack, or hay cap. Haystacks may also be built on top of a foundation laid on the ground to reduce spoilage, in some places made of wood or brush. In other areas, hay is stacked loose, built around a central pole, a tree, or within an area of three or four poles to add stability to the stack. One loose hay stacking technique seen in

1386-677: A multiple step process: cutting, drying or "curing", raking, processing, and storing. Hayfields do not have to be reseeded each year in the way that grain crops are, but regular fertilizing is usually desirable, and overseeding a field every few years helps increase yield. Commonly used plants for hay include mixtures of grasses such as ryegrass ( Lolium species), timothy , brome , fescue , Bermuda grass , orchard grass , and other species, depending on region. Hay may also include legumes , such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clovers ( red , white and subterranean ). Legumes in hay are ideally cut pre-bloom. Other pasture forbs are also sometimes

1485-429: A native Australian plant, also known as flax weed, is highly toxic to cattle. Farmer's lung is a hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by the inhalation of biologic dusts coming from hay dust or mold spores or other agricultural products. Exposure to hay can also trigger allergic rhinitis for people who are hypersensitive to airborne allergens. Hay must be fully dried when baled and kept dry in storage. If hay

1584-567: A nutrient deficiency. Early human nutrition consisted of foraging for nutrients, like other animals, but it diverged at the beginning of the Holocene with the Neolithic Revolution , in which humans developed agriculture to produce food. The Chemical Revolution in the 18th century allowed humans to study the nutrients in foods and develop more advanced methods of food preparation . Major advances in economics and technology during

1683-538: A part of the mix, though these plants are not necessarily desired as certain forbs are toxic to some animals. In the UK some hay is harvested from traditionally managed hay meadows which have a highly diverse flora and which support a rich eco-system. The hay produced by these meadows is species rich and was traditionally used to feed horses. Oat , barley , and wheat plant materials are occasionally cut green and made into hay for animal fodder , and more usually used in

1782-661: A particular danger to those who handle them, because they can weigh over 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and cannot be moved without special equipment. Nonetheless, because they are cylindrical in shape, and thus can roll easily, it is not uncommon for them to fall from stacks or roll off the equipment used to handle them. From 1992 to 1998, 74 farm workers in the United States were killed in large round hay bale accidents, usually when bales were being moved from one location to another, such as when feeding animals. [REDACTED] Texts on Wikisource: Nutrition Nutrition

1881-579: A river in Spain is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hay 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 . Pigs can eat hay, but do not digest it as efficiently as herbivores do. Hay can be used as animal fodder when or where there

1980-481: A significant increase in human intake of fats and oils. Humans have developed advanced methods of food processing that prevent contamination of pathogenic microorganisms and simplify the production of food. These include drying, freezing, heating, milling, pressing, packaging, refrigeration, and irradiation. Most cultures add herbs and spices to foods before eating to add flavor, though most do not significantly affect nutrition. Other additives are also used to improve

2079-452: A single feeding, and then, due to the process of rumination , take a considerable amount of time for their stomachs to digest food, often accomplished while the animal is lying down, at rest. Thus quantity of hay is important for cattle, who can effectively digest hay of low quality if fed in sufficient amounts. Sheep will eat between two and four percent of their body weight per day in dry feed, such as hay, and are very efficient at obtaining

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2178-566: A variety of foods. Cultivation of cereals and production of bread has made up a key component of human nutrition since the beginning of agriculture. Early humans hunted animals for meat, and modern humans domesticate animals to consume their meat and eggs. The development of animal husbandry has also allowed humans in some cultures to consume the milk of other animals and process it into foods such as cheese . Other foods eaten by humans include nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Access to domesticated animals as well as vegetable oils has caused

2277-573: A variety of illnesses, from coughs related to dust and mold , to various other illnesses, the most serious of which may be botulism , which can occur if a small animal, such as a rodent or snake, is killed by the baling equipment, then rots inside the bale, causing a toxin to form. Some animals are sensitive to particular fungi or molds that may grow on living plants. For example, an endophytic fungus that sometimes grows on fescue can cause abortion in pregnant mares . Some plants themselves may also be toxic to some animals. For example, Pimelea ,

2376-426: Is a combination of modern technology, high prices for hay, and too much rain for hay to dry properly. Once hay is cut, dried and raked into windrows, it is usually gathered into bales or bundles, and then hauled to a central location for storage. In some places, depending on geography, region, climate, and culture, hay is gathered loose and stacked without being baled first. Columella in his De re rustica describes

2475-528: Is a legitimate alternative to drying hay completely. When processed properly, the natural fermentation process prevents mold and rot. Round bale silage is also sometimes called "haylage", and is seen more commonly in Europe than in either the United States or Australia . Hay stored in this fashion must remain completely sealed in plastic, as any holes or tears will allow the entrance of oxygen and can stop

2574-500: Is a particular concern in ruminants such as cows and goats, and there have been animal deaths. Another concern is with a herbicide known as aminopyralid , which can pass through the digestive tract in animals, making their resulting manure toxic to many plants and thus unsuitable as fertilizer for food crops. Aminopyralid and related herbicides can persist in the environment for several years. Small square bales are made in two main variations. The smaller "two-tie" (two twines to hold

2673-536: Is also a risk that hay bales may be moldy or contain decaying carcasses of tiny creatures accidentally killed by baling equipment and swept up into the bale, producing toxins such as botulinum toxin . Both can be deadly to non- ruminant herbivores such as horses , and when this occurs, the entire contaminated bale generally is thrown out, another reason some people continue to support the market for small bales. Farmers who need to make large amounts of hay will likely choose balers that produce much larger bales, maximizing

2772-528: Is baled while too moist or becomes wet while in storage, there is a significant risk of spontaneous combustion . Hay stored outside must be stacked in such a way that moisture contact is minimal. Some stacks are arranged in such a manner that the hay itself sheds water when it falls. Other methods of stacking use the first layers or bales of hay as a cover to protect the rest. To completely keep out moisture, outside haystacks can also be covered by tarps, and many round bales are partially wrapped in plastic as part of

2871-486: Is common among bacteria that form in mats atop geothermal springs. Phototrophic prokaryotes typically obtain carbon from assimilating carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle . Some prokaryotes, such as Bdellovibrio and Ensifer , are predatory and feed on other single-celled organisms. Predatory prokaryotes seek out other organisms through chemotaxis or random collision, merge with the organism, degrade it, and absorb

2970-423: Is cut, then turned periodically to dry, particularly if a modern swather is used. Or, especially with older equipment or methods, the hay is cut and allowed to lie spread out in the field until it is dry, then raked into rows for processing into bales afterwards. During the drying period, which can take several days, the process is usually sped up by turning the cut hay over with a hay rake or spreading it out with

3069-533: Is entirely dependent on the coincident occurrence of optimum crop, field, and weather conditions. When this occurs, there may be a period of intense activity on the hay farm while harvest proceeds until weather conditions become unfavourable. Hay or grass is the foundation of the diet for all grazing animals, and can provide as much as 100% of the fodder required for an animal. Hay is usually fed to an animal during times when winter, drought, or other conditions make pasture unavailable. Animals that can eat hay vary in

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3168-490: Is governed by nutrition. Migration patterns and seasonal breeding take place in conjunction with food availability, and courtship displays are used to display an animal's health. Animals develop positive and negative associations with foods that affect their health, and they can instinctively avoid foods that have caused toxic injury or nutritional imbalances through a conditioned food aversion . Some animals, such as rats, do not seek out new types of foods unless they have

3267-406: Is in little danger, but bales between 120 and 140 °F (49 and 60 °C) need to be removed from a barn or structure and separated so that they can cool off. If the temperature of a bale exceeds more than 140 °F (60 °C), it can combust. To check hay moisture content, the farmer can use a hand, an oven or a moisture tester. The most efficient way is to use a moisture tester which shows

3366-554: Is managed by humans through animal feed . Fodder and forage are provided to livestock. Specialized pet food has been manufactured since 1860, and subsequent research and development have addressed the nutritional needs of pets. Dog food and cat food in particular are heavily studied and typically include all essential nutrients for these animals. Cats are sensitive to some common nutrients, such as taurine , and require additional nutrients derived from meat. Large-breed puppies are susceptible to overnutrition, as small-breed dog food

3465-570: Is more energy dense than they can absorb. Most plants obtain nutrients through inorganic substances absorbed from the soil or the atmosphere. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur are essential nutrients that make up organic material in a plant and allow enzymic processes. These are absorbed ions in the soil, such as bicarbonate , nitrate , ammonium , and sulfate , or they are absorbed as gases, such as carbon dioxide, water, oxygen gas, and sulfur dioxide . Phosphorus, boron, and silicon are used for esterification . They are obtained through

3564-454: Is not enough pasture or rangeland on which to graze an animal, when grazing is not feasible due to weather (such as during the winter), or when lush pasture by itself would be too rich for the health of the animal. It is also fed when an animal cannot access any pastures—for example, when the animal is being kept in a stable or barn . Hay production and harvest, commonly known as "making hay", "haymaking", "haying" or "doing hay", involves

3663-406: Is often stored outdoors because the outer surface of the large bale performs the weather-shedding function. The large bales can also be stacked, which allows a given degree of exposed surface area to count for a larger volume of protected interior hay. Plastic tarpaulins are sometimes used to shed the rain, with the goal of reduced hay wastage, but the cost of the tarpaulins must be weighed against

3762-438: Is possible to store round bales under a shed, they last longer, and less hay is lost to rot and moisture. For animals that eat silage , a bale wrapper may be used to seal a round bale completely and trigger the fermentation process. It is a technique used as a money-saving process by producers who do not have access to a superior silo , and for producing silage that is transported to other locations. In very damp climates, it

3861-516: Is stacked with wet grass, the heat produced can be sufficient to ignite the hay causing a fire. Farmers have to be careful about moisture levels to avoid spontaneous combustion , which is a leading cause of haystack fires. Heat is produced by the respiration process, which occurs until the moisture content of drying hay drops below 40%. Hay is considered fully dry when it reaches 20% moisture. Combustion problems typically occur within five to seven days of baling. A bale cooler than 120 °F (49 °C)

3960-550: Is that it decreases drying time, particularly in humid climates or if rain threatens to interfere with haying. Usually, rollers or flails inside a mower conditioner crimp, crack or strip the alfalfa or grass stems to increase evaporation rate. Sometimes, a salt solution is sprayed over the top of the hay (generally alfalfa) that helps to dry the hay. Modern hay production often relies on artificial fertilizer and herbicides. Traditionally, manure has been used on hayfields, but modern chemical fertilizers are used today as well. Hay that

4059-1107: Is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life . It provides organisms with nutrients , which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain the required amount of nutrients causes malnutrition . Nutritional science is the study of nutrition, though it typically emphasizes human nutrition . The type of organism determines what nutrients it needs and how it obtains them. Organisms obtain nutrients by consuming organic matter , consuming inorganic matter, absorbing light, or some combination of these. Some can produce nutrients internally by consuming basic elements, while some must consume other organisms to obtain pre-existing nutrients. All forms of life require carbon , energy , and water as well as various other molecules . Animals require complex nutrients such as carbohydrates , lipids , and proteins , obtaining them by consuming other organisms. Humans have developed agriculture and cooking to replace foraging and advance human nutrition. Plants acquire nutrients through

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4158-434: Is the leading cause of death in horses. Contaminated hay can also lead to respiratory problems in horses. Hay can be soaked in water, sprinkled with water or subjected to steaming to reduce dust. Methods and the terminology to describe the steps of making hay have varied greatly throughout history, and many regional variations still exist today. Whether done by hand or by modern mechanized equipment, tall grass and legumes at

4257-605: Is the simplest form of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are broken down to produce glucose and short-chain fatty acids , and they are the most abundant nutrients for herbivorous land animals. Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. Lipids provide animals with fats and oils. They are not soluble in water, and they can store energy for an extended period of time. They can be obtained from many different plant and animal sources. Most dietary lipids are triglycerides , composed of glycerol and fatty acids. Phospholipids and sterols are found in smaller amounts. An animal's body will reduce

4356-497: Is to be certified as weed-free for use in wilderness areas must often be sprayed with chemical herbicides to keep unwanted weeds from the field, and sometimes even non-certified hayfields are sprayed to limit the production of noxious weeds . Organic forms of fertilization and weed control are required for hay grown for consumption by animals whose meat will ultimately be certified organic. To that end, compost and field rotation can enhance soil fertility, and regular mowing of fields in

4455-777: Is usually performed by a number of machines. While small operations use a tractor to pull various implements for mowing and raking, larger operations use specialized machines such as a mower or a swather , which are designed to cut the hay and arrange it into a windrow in one step. Balers are usually pulled by a tractor, with larger balers requiring more powerful tractors. Mobile balers , machines that gather and bale hay in one process were first developed around 1940. The initial balers produced rectangular bales that were small enough for an individual to lift, typically weighing between 70 and 100 pounds (32 to 45 kg) each. The size and shape of these bales allowed for manual handling, including lifting, stacking on transport vehicles, and constructing

4554-642: The Great Depression and the Second World War. Due to its importance in human health, the study of nutrition has heavily emphasized human nutrition and agriculture, while ecology is a secondary concern. Nutrients are substances that provide energy and physical components to the organism, allowing it to survive, grow, and reproduce. Nutrients can be basic elements or complex macromolecules . Approximately 30 elements are found in organic matter , with nitrogen , carbon , and phosphorus being

4653-440: The carbon cycle , sulfur cycle , nitrogen cycle , water cycle , phosphorus cycle , and oxygen cycle , among others that continually recycle along with other mineral nutrients into productive ecological nutrition. Biogeochemical cycles that are performed by living organisms and natural processes are water , carbon , nitrogen , phosphorus , and sulfur cycles . Nutrient cycles allow these essential elements to return to

4752-400: The diet of an organism is the sum of the foods it eats. A healthy diet improves the physical and mental health of an organism. This requires ingestion and absorption of vitamins , minerals , essential amino acids from protein and essential fatty acids from fat-containing food. Carbohydrates , protein and fat play major roles in ensuring the quality of life , health and longevity of

4851-402: The soil and the atmosphere. Fungi absorb nutrients around them by breaking them down and absorbing them through the mycelium . Scientific analysis of food and nutrients began during the chemical revolution in the late 18th century. Chemists in the 18th and 19th centuries experimented with different elements and food sources to develop theories of nutrition. Modern nutrition science began in

4950-404: The 1910s as individual micronutrients began to be identified. The first vitamin to be chemically identified was thiamine in 1926, and vitamin C was identified as a protection against scurvy in 1932. The role of vitamins in nutrition was studied in the following decades. The first recommended dietary allowances for humans were developed to address fears of disease caused by food deficiencies during

5049-419: The 20th century allowed mass production and food fortification to better meet the nutritional needs of humans. Human behavior is closely related to human nutrition, making it a subject of social science in addition to biology. Nutrition in humans is balanced with eating for pleasure, and optimal diet may vary depending on the demographics and health concerns of each person. Humans are omnivores that eat

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5148-496: The British Isles is to initially stack freshly cut hay into smaller mounds called foot cocks, hay coles, kyles, hayshocks or haycocks, to facilitate initial curing. These are sometimes built atop platforms or tripods formed of three poles, used to keep hay off the ground and let air into the center for better drying. The shape causes dew and rainwater to roll down the sides, allowing the hay within to cure. People who handle

5247-399: The accumulation of moisture and promote drying or curing. In some places, this is accomplished by constructing stacks with a conical or ridged top. The exterior may look gray on the surface after weathering, but the inner hay retains traces of its fresh-cut aroma and maintains a faded green tint. They can be covered with thatch , or kept within a protective structure. One such structure is

5346-476: The amount of energy required to raise 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Carbohydrates are molecules that store significant amounts of energy. Animals digest and metabolize carbohydrates to obtain this energy. Carbohydrates are typically synthesized by plants during metabolism, and animals have to obtain most carbohydrates from nature, as they have only a limited ability to generate them. They include sugars , oligosaccharides , and polysaccharides . Glucose

5445-585: The amount of fatty acids it produces as dietary fat intake increases, while it increases the amount of fatty acids it produces as carbohydrate intake increases. Fats contain 9 calories per gram. Protein consumed by animals is broken down to amino acids, which would be later used to synthesize new proteins. Protein is used to form cellular structures, fluids, and enzymes (biological catalysts ). Enzymes are essential to most metabolic processes, as well as DNA replication , repair , and transcription . Protein contains 4 calories per gram. Much of animal behavior

5544-424: The amount of hay protected from the elements. Large bales come in two types: round and square. Large square bales, which can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb), can be stacked and easily transported on trucks. Large round bales, which typically weigh 300 to 400 kilograms (660–880 lb), are more moisture-resistant and pack the hay more densely (especially at the center). Round bales are quickly fed with

5643-847: The amount of protein in a food. Humans can also obtain energy from ethanol , which is both a food and a drug, but it provides relatively few essential nutrients and is associated with nutritional deficiencies and other health risks. In humans, poor nutrition can cause deficiency-related diseases, such as blindness , anemia , scurvy , preterm birth , stillbirth and cretinism , or nutrient-excess conditions, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome . Other conditions possibly affected by nutrition disorders include cardiovascular diseases , diabetes , and osteoporosis . Undernutrition can lead to wasting in acute cases, and stunting of marasmus in chronic cases of malnutrition. In domesticated animals , such as pets , livestock , and working animals , as well as other animals in captivity , nutrition

5742-477: The amount of time and energy spent foraging. It was created to analyze the foraging habits of animals, but it can also be extended to other organisms. Some organisms are specialists that are adapted to forage for a single food source, while others are generalists that can consume a variety of food sources. Nutrient deficiencies, known as malnutrition , occur when an organism does not have the nutrients that it needs. This may be caused by suddenly losing nutrients or

5841-436: The bale together) or larger "three-tie" (three twines to hold the bale together). They vary in size within both groups but are generally popular in different markets. The smaller two-tie bales are favored in the hobby animal market and are preferred for their convenient size. The larger, three-tie bales are favored by producers wanting to export bales because of the increase of efficiency in transportation and also by customers for

5940-460: The baling process. Hay is also stored under a roof when resources permit. It is frequently placed inside sheds, or stacked inside of a barn . On the other hand, care must also be taken that hay is never exposed to any possible source of heat or flame, as dry hay and the dust it produces are highly flammable . Hay baled before it is fully dry can produce enough heat to start a fire. Haystacks produce internal heat due to bacterial fermentation. If hay

6039-745: The carbon of other organisms, while autotrophs are organisms that produce their own nutrients from the carbon of inorganic substances like carbon dioxide . Mixotrophs are organisms that can be heterotrophs and autotrophs, including some plankton and carnivorous plants . Phototrophs obtain energy from light, while chemotrophs obtain energy by consuming chemical energy from matter. Organotrophs consume other organisms to obtain electrons, while lithotrophs obtain electrons from inorganic substances, such as water , hydrogen sulfide , dihydrogen , iron(II) , sulfur , or ammonium . Prototrophs can create essential nutrients from other compounds, while auxotrophs must consume preexisting nutrients. In nutrition,

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6138-437: The convenience of humans, as most grazing animals on pasture naturally consume fodder in multiple feedings throughout the day. Some animals, especially those being raised for meat, may be given enough hay that they simply are able to eat all day. Other animals, especially those that are ridden or driven as working animals may be given a more limited amount of hay to prevent them from getting too fat. The proper amount of hay and

6237-633: The cost of the hay spoilage percentage difference; it may not be worth the cost, or the plastic's environmental footprint. After World War II , British farmers found that the demand outstripped supply for skilled farm laborers experienced in the thatching of haystacks. This no doubt contributed to the pressure for baling in large bales to increasingly replace stacking, which was happening anyway as haymaking technology (like other farm technology) continued toward extensive mechanization with one-person operation of many tasks. Today tons of hay can be cut, conditioned, dried, raked, and baled by one person, as long as

6336-413: The degree of shedding of rainwater by the stack's outer surface is an important factor, and the stacking of loose hay was developed into a skilled-labor task that in its more advanced forms even involved thatching the top. In many stacking methods (with or without thatched tops), stems were oriented in sheaves, which were laid in oriented sequence. With the advent of large bales since the 1960s, today hay

6435-478: The early 20th century in the United States , though both plants are native to Europe . Hay was baled for easier handling and to reduce space required for storage and shipment. The first bales weighed about 300 pounds. The original machines were of a vertical design similar to the one photographed by the Greene Co. Historical Society . They used a horse-driven screw-press mechanism or a dropped weight to compress

6534-492: The environment after being absorbed or consumed. Without proper nutrient cycling, there would be risk of change in oxygen levels, climate, and ecosystem function. Foraging is the process of seeking out nutrients in the environment. It may also be defined to include the subsequent use of the resources. Some organisms, such as animals and bacteria, can navigate to find nutrients, while others, such as plants and fungi, extend outward to find nutrients. Foraging may be random, in which

6633-430: The field before it can be baled. Consequently, the primary challenge and risk for farmers in hay production is managing the weather, especially during the critical few weeks when the plants are at optimal maturity for harvesting. A lucky break in the weather often moves the haymaking tasks (such as mowing, tedding , and baling) to the top priority on the farm's to-do list. This is reflected in the idiom to make hay while

6732-403: The form of straw , a harvest byproduct of stems and dead leaves that are baled after the grain has been harvested and threshed . Straw is used mainly for animal bedding. Although straw is also used as fodder, particularly as a source of dietary fiber , it has lower nutritional value than hay. In agroforestry systems are developed to produce tree hay . It is the leaf and seed material in

6831-527: The four-chambered stomach of cattle, they are often able to break down older forage and have more tolerance of mold and changes in diet. The single-chambered stomach and cecum or "hindgut" of the horse uses bacterial processes to break down cellulose that are more sensitive to changes in feeds and the presence of mold or other toxins, requiring horses to be fed hay of a more consistent type and quality. Different animals also use hay in different ways: cattle evolved to eat forages in relatively large quantities at

6930-512: The ground by machinery and processed into storage in bales, stacks or pits. Methods of haymaking thus aim to minimize the shattering and falling away of the leaves during handling. Hay production is highly sensitive to weather conditions, particularly during the harvest period. In drought conditions, both seed and leaf production are stunted, resulting in hay with a high ratio of dry, coarse stems that possess very low nutritional value. Conversely, excessively wet weather can cause cut hay to spoil in

7029-405: The growth phase of the hay will often reduce the prevalence of undesired weeds. In recent times, some producers have experimented with human sewage sludge to grow hay. This is not a certified organic method and no warning labels are mandated by EPA. One concern with hay grown on human sewage sludge is that the hay can take up heavy metals, which are then consumed by animals. Molybdenum poisoning

7128-552: The hay may use hayforks or pitchforks to move or pitch the hay in building haycocks and haystacks. Construction of tall haystacks is sometimes aided with a ramp, ranging from simple poles to a device for building large loose stacks called a beaverslide . Hay is generally one of the safest feeds to provide to domesticated grazing herbivores . Amounts must be monitored so animals do not get too fat or too thin. Supplemental feed may be required for working animals with high energy requirements. Animals who eat spoiled hay may develop

7227-417: The hay that determines its quality, because they contain more of the nutrition value for the animal than the stems do. Farmers try to harvest hay at the point when the seed heads are not quite ripe and the leaf is at its maximum when the grass is mowed in the field. The cut material is allowed to dry so that the bulk of the moisture is removed but the leafy material is still robust enough to be picked up from

7326-496: The hay. The first patent went to HL Emery for a horse-powered, screw-operated hay press in 1853. Other models were reported as early as 1843 built by PK Dederick's Sons of Albany, New York , or Samuel Hewitt of Switzerland County, Indiana . Later, horizontal machines were devised. One was the “Perpetual Press” made by PK Dederick of Albany in 1872. They could be powered by steam engines by about 1882. The continuous hay baler arrived in 1914. Modern mechanized hay production today

7425-743: The inability to absorb proper nutrients. Not only is malnutrition the result of a lack of necessary nutrients, but it can also be a result of other illnesses and health conditions. When this occurs, an organism will adapt by reducing energy consumption and expenditure to prolong the use of stored nutrients. It will use stored energy reserves until they are depleted, and it will then break down its own body mass for additional energy. A balanced diet includes appropriate amounts of all essential and non-essential nutrients. These can vary by age, weight, sex, physical activity levels, and more. A lack of just one essential nutrient can cause bodily harm, just as an overabundance can cause toxicity. The Daily Reference Values keep

7524-856: The majority of people from nutrient deficiencies. DRVs are not recommendations but a combination of nutrient references to educate professionals and policymakers on what the maximum and minimum nutrient intakes are for the average person. Food labels also use DRVs as a reference to create safe nutritional guidelines for the average healthy person. Animals are heterotrophs that consume other organisms to obtain nutrients. Herbivores are animals that eat plants, carnivores are animals that eat other animals, and omnivores are animals that eat both plants and other animals. Many herbivores rely on bacterial fermentation to create digestible nutrients from indigestible plant cellulose, while obligate carnivores must eat animal meats to obtain certain vitamins or nutrients their bodies cannot otherwise synthesize. Animals generally have

7623-429: The moisture content in a few seconds. Due to its weight, hay can cause a number of injuries to humans, particularly those related to lifting and moving bales, as well as risks related to stacking and storing. Hazards include the danger of having a poorly constructed stack collapse, causing either falls to people on the stack or injuries to people on the ground who are struck by falling bales. Large round hay bales present

7722-824: The most important. Macronutrients are the primary substances required by an organism, and micronutrients are substances required by an organism in trace amounts. Organic micronutrients are classified as vitamins , and inorganic micronutrients are classified as minerals . Nutrients are absorbed by the cells and used in metabolic biochemical reactions. These include fueling reactions that create precursor metabolites and energy, biosynthetic reactions that convert precursor metabolites into building block molecules, polymerizations that combine these molecules into macromolecule polymers , and assembly reactions that use these polymers to construct cellular structures. Organisms can be classified by how they obtain carbon and energy. Heterotrophs are organisms that obtain nutrients by consuming

7821-400: The most nutrition possible from three to five pounds per day of hay or other forage. They require three to four hours per day to eat enough hay to meet their nutritional requirements. Unlike ruminants, horses digest their food in small portions throughout the day and can utilize only about 2.5% of their body weight in feed within a 24-hour period. Horses evolved to graze continuously while on

7920-451: The move, covering up to 50 miles (80 km) per day in the wild. Their stomachs digest food quickly, allowing them to extract a higher nutritional value from smaller quantities of feed When horses are fed low-quality hay, they may develop an unhealthy, obese, "hay belly" due to over-consumption of "empty" calories. If their type of feed is changed dramatically, or if they are fed moldy hay or hay containing toxic plants, they can become ill; colic

8019-433: The organism seeks nutrients without method, or it may be systematic, in which the organism can go directly to a food source. Organisms are able to detect nutrients through taste or other forms of nutrient sensing , allowing them to regulate nutrient intake. Optimal foraging theory is a model that explains foraging behavior as a cost–benefit analysis in which an animal must maximize the gain of nutrients while minimizing

8118-425: The organism. Some cultures and religions have restrictions on what is acceptable for their diet. A nutrient cycle is a biogeochemical cycle involving the movement of inorganic matter through a combination of soil, organisms, air or water, where they are exchanged in organic matter. Energy flow is a unidirectional and noncyclic pathway, whereas the movement of mineral nutrients is cyclic. Mineral cycles include

8217-403: The preservation properties of fermentation and lead to spoilage. Hay requires protection from the weather, and is optimally stored inside buildings, but weather protection is also provided in other ways involving outdoor storage, either in haystacks or in large tight bales (round or rectangular); these methods all depend on the surface of an outdoor mass of hay (stack or bale) taking the hit of

8316-436: The proper stage of maturity must be cut, then allowed to dry (preferably by the sun), then raked into long, narrow piles known as windrows . Next, the cured hay is gathered up in some form (usually by some type of baling process) and placed for storage into a haystack or into a barn or shed to protect it from moisture and rot. During the growing season, which is spring and early summer in temperate climates , grass grows at

8415-419: The region, the term "hay rick" could refer to the machine for cutting hay, the haystack or the wagon used to collect the hay. With the invention of agricultural machinery such as the tractor and the baler , most hay production became mechanized by the 1930s. Hay baling began with the invention of the first hay press in about 1850. Timothy grass and clover were the most common plants used for hay in

8514-407: The right equipment is at hand (although that equipment is expensive). These tons of hay can also be moved by one person, again with the right (expensive) equipment, as loaders with long spikes run by hydraulic circuits pick up each large bale and move it to its feeding location. A fence may be built to enclose a haystack and prevent roaming animals from eating it, or animals may feed directly from

8613-897: The root-like mycelium, which grows through the organism's source of nutrients and can extend indefinitely. The fungus excretes extracellular enzymes to break down surrounding matter and then absorbs the nutrients through the cell wall. Fungi can be parasitic, saprophytic, or symbiotic. Parasitic fungi attach and feed on living hosts, such as animals, plants, or other fungi. Saprophytic fungi feed on dead and decomposing organisms. Symbiotic fungi grow around other organisms and exchange nutrients with them. Protists include all eukaryotes that are not animals, plants, or fungi, resulting in great diversity between them. Algae are photosynthetic protists that can produce energy from light. Several types of protists use mycelium similar to those of fungi. Protozoa are heterotrophic protists, and different protozoa seek nutrients in different ways. Flagellate protozoa use

8712-433: The safety, quality, flavor, and nutritional content of food. Humans obtain most carbohydrates as starch from cereals, though sugar has grown in importance. Lipids can be found in animal fat , butterfat , vegetable oil, and leaf vegetables , and they are also used to increase flavor in foods. Protein can be found in virtually all foods, as it makes up cellular material, though certain methods of food processing may reduce

8811-474: The soil as phosphates , boric acid , and silicic acid , respectively. Other nutrients used by plants are potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, chlorine, iron, copper, zinc, and molybdenum. Plants uptake essential elements from the soil through their roots and from the air (consisting of mainly nitrogen and oxygen) through their leaves . Nutrient uptake in the soil is achieved by cation exchange , wherein root hairs pump hydrogen ions (H ) into

8910-528: The soil in which they grow. This is made possible by the fact that largely inert atmospheric nitrogen is changed in a nitrogen fixation process to biologically usable forms in the soil by bacteria. As these nutrients do not provide the plant with energy, they must obtain energy by other means. Green plants absorb energy from sunlight with chloroplasts and convert it to usable energy through photosynthesis . Fungi are chemoheterotrophs that consume external matter for energy. Most fungi absorb matter through

9009-471: The soil through proton pumps . These hydrogen ions displace cations attached to negatively charged soil particles so that the cations are available for uptake by the root. In the leaves, stomata open to take in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen . Although nitrogen is plentiful in the Earth's atmosphere, very few plants can use this directly. Most plants, therefore, require nitrogen compounds to be present in

9108-445: The stack is not arranged in a proper haystack, moisture can seep even deeper into the stack. The rounded shape and tighter compaction of round bales make them less susceptible to spoilage, as the water is less likely to penetrate the bale. Adding net wrap, which is not used on square bales, offers even more weather resistance. People who keep small numbers of animals may prefer small bales that one person can handle without machinery. There

9207-485: The sun shines . Hay that was too wet at cutting may develop rot and mold after being baled, creating the potential for toxins to form in the feed, which could make the animals sick. After harvest, hay also has to be stored in a manner to prevent it from getting wet. Mold and spoilage reduce nutritional value and may cause illness in animals. A symbiotic fungus in fescue may cause illness in horses and cattle. The successful harvest of maximum yields of high-quality hay

9306-545: The type of hay required varies somewhat between different species. Some animals are also fed concentrated feeds such as grain or vitamin supplements in addition to hay. In most cases, hay or pasture forage must make up 50% or more of the diet by weight. One of the most significant differences in hay digestion is between ruminant animals, such as cattle and sheep , and nonruminant, hindgut fermentors , such as horses . Both types of animals can digest cellulose in grass and hay, but do so by different mechanisms. Because of

9405-411: The types of grasses suitable for consumption, the ways they consume hay, and how they digest it. Therefore, different types of animals require hay that consists of similar plants to what they would eat while grazing, and, likewise, plants that are toxic to an animal in pasture are generally also toxic if they are dried into hay. Most animals are fed hay in two daily feedings, morning and evening, more for

9504-462: The use of mechanized equipment. The volume-to-surface area ratio allows many dry-area farmers to leave large bales outside until consumed. Wet-area farmers and those in climates with heavy snowfall can stack round bales under a shed or tarp and use a light but durable plastic wrap that partially encloses outside bales. The wrap repels moisture but leaves the ends of the bale exposed so that the hay itself can "breathe" and does not begin to ferment. When it

9603-409: The usual haying process of the early Roman Empire. Much hay was originally cut by scythe by teams of workers, dried in the field and gathered loose on wagons . Later, haying was accomplished with horse-drawn implements such as mowers . After hay was cut and dried, it was raked or rowed up by raking it into a linear heap by hand or with a horse-drawn implement. Turning hay, when needed, originally

9702-495: The weather and thereby preserving the main body of hay underneath. Traditionally, outdoor hay storage was done with haystacks of loose hay, where most of the hay was sufficiently preserved to last through the winter, and the top surface of the stack (being weathered) was consigned to become compost the next summer. The term "loose" means not pressed or baled but does not necessarily mean a light, fluffy lay of randomly oriented stems. Especially in wet climates, such as those of Britain,

9801-417: Was done by hand with a fork or rake. Once the dried hay was rowed up, pitchforks were used to pile it loose, originally onto a horse-drawn cart or wagon , later onto a truck or tractor-drawn trailer, for which a sweep could be used instead of pitch forks. Loose hay was transported to a designated storage area, typically a slightly elevated location to ensure proper drainage, where it was constructed into

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