32 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



digestibility as they approach maturity, and this is 

 very equally spread over all the constituents. The 

 composition varies also, and for the same reason. 

 Hence, no fixed nutritive value can be ascribed to 

 the hay and fodder crops except in a general way. 

 The young plant is always the most nutritious. The 

 superior fattening quality of a pasture, as compared 



MAKING GOOD HAY Is A FINE ART 



Hay often is improperly made. If cut late it is less nutritious and appetiz- 

 ing. If soaked with rains, or the finer parts are lost by bad treatment, the 

 feeding value will be decreased. 



with that of the hay made from it, is clearly due to 

 the fact that on land continuously grazed the animal 

 is fed entirely on young forage, while hay will 

 largely consist of the mature or nearly matured 

 plants. If hay making is carefully carried out in 

 good weather so the finer parts are not lost by bad 

 treatment, or the soluble matter is not washed out by 

 rain, the digestibility will not be diminished consid- 

 erably. 



