Grass Mowings

[Tim Watson]

We have a sizeable area of grass around the house (garden) which I am in the process of mowing. We are thinking of getting some ewes in to keep it down but in the interim can I feed it to the heifers if it is fresh cut?
Thanks

[pudser]

it won't do them any harm but I would be slow to feed it to horses

[Duncan MacIntyre]

I would be more than slow to feed it to horses, they are very prone to damage from fermentation of grass cuttings and I have dealt with several fatalities and numerous ill horses over the years.

Cattle are much more tollerant as the digestion in cattle is in the rumen rather than in the caecum and colon in horses so the grass joins the mass of rumenal contents as soon as it is swallowed. It is still best to be in small regular amounts though.

Duncan

[redhill]

many years ago when we only had 3 animals I saved all lawn cuttings by putting them in strong poly bags and realy pressed them tight to expell all the air, this was initially an experiment and finished up at the end of the year with about 70 bags, when the farmer I worked for at the time had his silage tested I ask him to have a couple of samples from these bags tested and they came back as being very good quality and the stock definatley liked them during the winter, obviously this would not be suitable for a large amount of grass but for a large lawn would be a very good way of making the best of the grass mowings.
Bill.