Hungry
Horse Haylage Nutritional Analysis - 2006 crop
| NUTRIENT |
HUNGRY
HORSE HAYLAGE
(Dry Matter) |
AVERAGE
HAYLAGE RANGE *
(Dry Matter) |
| Dry
Matter (%) |
62.1 |
50-75 |
| Ash
(%) |
7 |
7-10 |
| Crude
Protein (%) |
5.2 |
6 -16 |
| Residual
Sugars (%) |
10.6 |
0-10 |
| Digestible
Energy (MJ/Kg) |
10 |
9-11 |
| PH |
5.4 |
4-6 |
| Ammonia
(% Total N) |
2.1 |
Should
not exceed 5% |
+
Figures represent typical samples. Individual analyses must
be undertaken in particular samples for complete accuracy
* As defined by Dodson and Horrell |
Definitions of terms
When assessing the results of forage analysis it is important to look
at the whole picture. The following definitions should help you interpret
the analysis.
Dry
Matter (DM)
The fraction of the sample which remains when all the water is extracted.
For example a low DM represents a wet sample and vice versa.
Ash
The substance remaining after burning the sample. This indicates
the mineral content of the crop. A high level may suggest soil contamination
which can introduce undesirable micro-organisms.
Crude
Protein
All the protein present in the crop. Protein is a combination of
amino acids which are useful for growth, muscle development and
tissue repair.
Residual
Sugars
The amount of sugar remaining after fermentation. The process of
fermentation uses up the sugar in the crop and therefore a high
level may indicate limited fermentation. The sugar level can be
effected by the time of day, sunlight, time, weather and maturity
of crop.
Estimated
Digestible Energy (DE)
The amount of energy provided by the crop which the horse is capable
of digesting. It is estimated using a calculation involving the
metabolisable energy (ME) value for ruminants.
Ammonia
% Total N
Ammonia Nitrate as a percentage of total nitrates. This should be
considered in conjunction with the protein value (protein contains
about 16% nitrogen). Protein is degraded in ammonia by clostridia
(an undesirable micro-organism) and therefore a high ammonia indicates
clostridia activity which can lead to scouring in sensitive horses.
As a guide Ammonia should not exceed 5%.
PH
A measure of alkalinity on a scale of 1- 10 (1 = strongly acidic.
10 = strongly alkaline. A value of 7 is neutral). The ideal PH for
haylage is between 4.5 and 6. If your haylage is very wet (DM of
45 – 55) the PH is particularly important because the correct
PH will help to suppress clostridia activity.
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