
Grazing Animals Prefer Afternoon HayBy Jill Lee February 26, 1997If farmers want their livestock to eat more and gain more weight,
theyd better make hay while the afternoon sun shines. Scientists with USDAs
Agricultural Research Service say a new
study shows that sheep, goats and cattle all prefer grass hays harvested in the
afternoon compared with those cut in the morning. One possible explanation: Plants carbohydrate production is at its
peak at midday. The animals may remember afternoon-harvested hay is easier to
digest and gives them more energy. Other studies have shown animals can be
conditioned to choose higher-energy feeds. Its long been known that livestock grazing tends to peak in the
afternoon. This led researchers to explore whether cutting hay later in the day
could boost consumption. Scientists let the animals try afternoon-cut hay and morning-cut hay before
offering both in a side-by-side comparison. Sheep, goats and cattle all
consumed an average of 50 percent more of the preferred hays. Their preference
held true even though the hay offered was from harvests on three different
days. The scientists also noted the livestocks top picks among the afternoon
hays to make sure cutting time was the key factor in the animals choices.
Each hay underwent 15 comparisons. Scientific contact: Dwight Fisher, USDA-ARS
Plant Science
Research, Raleigh, N.C., phone (919) 515-7597, e-mail
[email protected] Story contacts Plant Science Research Plant Science Research Dwight S Fisher U.S. Department of Agriculture | |