Do you know how important it is to store forage properly to ensure good nutrition for your animals?
Forages are the vegetal parts of plants that are used to feed herbivores. They can be given fresh or preserved to deal with periods of shortage.
One of the most widely used conservation methods is mechanical harvesting, which involves compressing the forage with square or round balers. This prevents deterioration and preserves its nutritional properties.
But to achieve good results, you need to know the humidity and temperature of the harvested forage; these two parameters influence the quality and quantity of the final product.
The ideal humidity for harvesting is recommended to range from 15% to 20%.
If the forage is too moist, there is a risk of excessive fermentation and a loss of nutrients; if it is too dry, there is a risk of poor quality, with a loss of weight and value.
The temperature of the harvested forage depends on the season and weather conditions. In general, it is recommended to harvest forage when the temperature is below 25°C to avoid excessive fermentation of the plants and the loss of valuable substances such as sugars.
To assess the humidity and temperature of harvested forage, you can use special equipment, such as thermometers or hygrometers, or perform laboratory analyses. This way, you can optimize the harvesting process and obtain high-quality forage for your animals.
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