222 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



food, and also whether there is full value for the money ; 

 in judging both these points if the hay be of home 

 manufacture, the nature of the past season must be taken 

 into account. 



A good deal of hay is imported into the United Kingdom. 

 There is nothing better than well saved Canadian hay 

 consisting of rye grass and timothy. 



In forming a judgment of the quality of hay by the 

 grasses present, it is essential to bear in mind that the 

 existence of an indifferent grass here and there should not 

 condemn the whole; indifferent grasses may occasionally 

 be mixed up with excellent hay. 



New and Old Hay. — In the trade hay is considered new 

 up to 29th September, with others it is considered new 

 until it is a year old. At times it becomes a matter of some 

 importance to determine whether hay is old or new. It is 

 usual to regard new hay as greener, but this may be very 

 misleading in a well saved sample. New hay contains 

 more moisture than old, about 2 to 3 per cent, more, and 

 this may be used as a test in cases of doubt, but when 

 working so close as 2 to 3 per cent, great accuracy is 

 required, such as is only to be obtained in a chemical 

 laboratory. 



The chief characteristic differences between old and new 

 hay can be determined by the appearance of a truss. 

 When hay is ricked it undergoes compression, and the 

 stack gradually sinks under the tons of pressure imposed, 

 until no further shrinkage occurs. This pressure causes 

 the fibres of the hay to lie very close, the truss is very 

 compact, solid, and hard, and when opened a layer an inch 

 or two in thickness may be rolled up like paper. This can 

 never be done with new hay, consolidation has not had 

 time to occur, and the truss on being opened presents 

 rather a tangled mass, very different to the firm condition 

 of old hay. 



The length of time that hay retains its nutritive properties 

 is two years from the time of cutting; after that it de- 

 teriorates, becomes dusty, brittle, and loses both its 



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