RECENT ADVANCES IN HAY MAKING

Abstract

Hay is an important crop to the New Zealand. farmer. Over 800,000 acres of lucerne and pasture are cut and conserved in this form each year compared with 180,000 acres for silage. Hay is pleasant to handle compared with silage, but requires more physical labour, as complete mechanisation from field to storage to stock has not advanced to the same degree. Also it is more vulnerable to the weather. As a result considerable effort and ingenuity have been applied to reduce both field losses and physical effort, either by endeavouring to mechanise completely present methods of conservation or by examining alternative forms.