A Nutritious Feed Option for Livestock
Canola hay isn’t a traditional hay crop but can be an excellent feed option, particularly during drought or frost years when other forages may be scarce. While canola hay is typically cut as an opportunity crop, it’s known for its high nutritional value and distinct aroma, making it an appealing choice for various livestock.
What is Canola Hay?
Canola hay is made from canola plants that are harvested after the grain has been produced, often in response to harsh weather conditions like frost. Canola hay in Australia is not commonly grown as a primary hay crop but is often baled when the opportunity arises. It’s rich in protein and energy and has a sweet, honey-like smell that many animals find appealing. Canola hay for sale is usually available in drought years when farmers turn to alternative feed options.
Nutritional Value of Canola Hay: NDF, CP, ME
- Crude Protein (CP): Canola hay offers a high protein content, ranging from 10% to 25%, depending on factors such as growing conditions and harvest maturity. This makes it an excellent choice for livestock that need extra protein, such as growing cattle or lactating animals.
- Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF): Canola hay has moderate fibre content, with NDF typically between 30% and 55%. This balance makes it highly digestible and a good source of roughage for ruminants like cattle and sheep.
- Metabolisable Energy (ME): The ME of canola hay ranges between 7 and 11 MJ/kg, providing solid energy for livestock maintenance and growth, particularly during periods of high demand.
Visual Quality and Grading
The quality of canola hay is influenced by factors such as harvest time and weather conditions. High-quality canola hay should:
- Be green to golden in colour with visible yellow flowers.
- Have a soft texture, especially if cut early before the plant matures.
- Have a sweet, honey-like aroma with no musty or dusty smell.
Poor-quality canola hay may be brown or overly mature, with thicker, chewier stems that are less palatable to animals. It’s important to evaluate the visual quality before purchase to ensure you're getting the best product for your livestock.
Canola Silage
In addition to canola hay, canola silage is also an option for feeding livestock. Silage is made by fermenting fresh canola plants, which provides a high-moisture, energy-rich feed source for animals. Canola silage is particularly useful during the winter months when fresh forage is in limited supply.
Best Time to Harvest Canola Hay
To get the best nutritional value from canola hay, it should be harvested when the plants are in full flower but before they start forming pods. At this stage, the canola hay is at its peak in terms of leaf content and digestibility. If left to mature too long, the hay can become coarse, with reduced nutritional value and palatability.
Agricultural and Environmental Benefits
While canola hay is typically grown as a byproduct of grain harvesting, it also offers several environmental benefits. As a legume, canola helps fix nitrogen in the soil, improving soil health and reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers. Canola stubble left after grain harvest can provide additional forage for livestock, contributing to sustainable farming practices and helping reduce soil erosion.
In Australia, canola hay is sometimes grown as part of a crop rotation system, providing soil conditioning benefits and improving overall farm sustainability.
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