Organic hay production as roughage supplementation strategy for ruminants produced in rural communities of Mato Grosso do Sul

• Main Authors: Euclides Reuter de Oliveira, Elaine Barbosa Muniz, Andrea Maria de Araújo Gabriel, Flávio Pinto Monçao, Jefferson Rodrigues Gandra, Érika Rosendo de Sena Gandra, Thais Lemos Pereira, Mábio Silvan José da Silva, Willian da Silva Gouvea, Adrielly Aparecida do Carmo, Cibeli de Almeida Pedrini, Roni Ailson Stefanes Becker
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados 2017-12-01
• Series: RealizAção
• Subjects: Extensão. Fenação. Forragem. Produção animal.
• Online Access: http://ojs.ufgd.edu.br/index.php/realizacao/article/view/7791

The objective of this event was to describe all aspects related to the implementation of a demonstration area, at the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), for organic hay production aiming to provide support in the feeding of beef cattle in the rural communities of Dourados/MS. Therefore, the hay day field demonstration featured information about the forage species for hay production, stages of the haymaking, quality and nutritional value of hay, losses during the haymaking process, the use of hay in animal feeding and economic evaluation of hay utilization. In practice, there was a demonstration of the steps of haymaking: implantation, mowing, tedding of the green forage, raking, baling and storage. A horizontal baler was used to bale the hay, and it was coupled to the tractor. The laboratory analysis was performed to serve as a database to producers and other interested parties. The event was publicized through verbal contact, posters, and distribution of folders at strategic locations. The field day provided a theoretical-practical demonstration of the processes of haymaking, with the participation of rural producers, settlers, quilombolas and students from several courses. Overall, the event meet the knowledge needs of the public, as well as providing knowledge about organic management.