CBC Grade 9 Notes in Kenya-Baled hay Conservation Method

Baled hay is a method for preserving forage by drying, compressing, and tying it into manageable bundles to ensure, high-quality animal feed during dry seasons. It requires meticulous drying, compacting, and storage to avoid mold, ensuring high nutrient value.

• Hay refers to forage crops which have been cut and dried to about 15-20% moisture content so that they can safely be stored without undergoing fermentation and becoming moldy.
• Hay can be made from pasture grass and legumes such as desmodium

Baled hay making process

• This method involves cutting grass during its flowering Cutting the grass at this time helps to preserve its nutritional value
• The hay-making process involves cutting, spreading cut forage for faster drying and putting it in rows (windrowing) for easier collection.
• The structures that can be used to make bales include:
  • Metallic or wooden box
  • Wooden

Materials required to make baled hay

• Dried forage such as grass, maize stover or straw
• Gloves
• Gumboots
• Knife
• Metallic or wooden box baler/wooden box
• Panga/sickle
• Rake
• Sisal twine/strings

Procedure followed when making baled hay:

1. Wear gloves and gumboots to protect your hands and
2. Cut fresh forage from the field using either a panga or a
3. Spread the cut forage to allow it to dry for 2 to 3 days using a
4. You can also use already dried forage materials from the field, such as maize stover, straw or
5. Put the dried forage materials into the box baler or wooden box (approximately 40 cm x 50 cm x 75 cm).
6. Place lengths of sisal twine in the
7. Compact the materials by pressing them down tightly or applying pressure from the
8. Tie the materials securely or bind the compressed hay using binding materials such as sisal twine or strings.
9. Remove the baled hay from the
10. Store the hay bales in a dry, shaded area for use during