HAYLAGE
A new Feed technology Haylage is prepared out of green forage to preserve it for long time. It is prepared by leaving the green forage cut on the field to dry its moisture level to 55% and baled out to store. In some cases it is packed in air tight packs so that its freshness will be maintained. In order to densify to reduce the volume hydraulic press is used. Such densified bales are packed air tight. There sino advantage of enhancing the nutritive value in such
preparations. Therefore, a new feed technology is evolved to produce a new feed “Sweet haylage”.
The sweet haylage is prepared by using dry hay mix with sugar/sugar syrup/jaggary and pro biotics, enzymes and water to maintain the moisture to 55% and pH 6. The above product is pressed hard and packed air tight. It is then left for curing. During this time the fibre particularly the ADF gets degraded to more digestible carbohydrates, Protein gets protected and over all palatability of the feed increases because of sugar and aroma. The metabolisble energy of the hay increases and thus the fibre feed becomes better forage for dairy cows to replace the green forages.
In UAE the availability of green forage is scarce. All the dairy farms are totally depending upon hay and fibre feeds to meet the minimum NDF: ADF of 20: 28. In order to commercialize the feed the following items could be incorporated into the formula.
1. Alfalfa hay
2. Wheat bran/dust
3. Soya husk
4. Canola husk
5. Dry grass
6. Any other fibrous feeds available
The process plant comprises of the following
1. Grass chopper
2. Syrup coater/mixer
3. Hydraulic press 450 psi
4. Shrink packing/plastic bagging
The packed product could be transported and stored with an advice to be fed after 30 days of treatment.
In UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain where green fodder and fiber feeds are very expensive the above technology would be a boon for dairy industry. Once the above product is started to manufacture further development on the technology could be tried out.