Grummet and Hay
Description
The first cutting of a hay meadow is called hay. The second and the subsequent cuttings (hay meadows are cut six times a year) are known as "Grummet".
The time of cutting controls the amounts of nutrients, fibers and Minerals in the feed:
With the second and subsequent cutting the weather conditions are no longer ideal for the hay drying. Nights become colder and longer, days become shorter and the insolation diminishes. In addition the air is more humid and thus fog and dew develop. It is no longer possible to dry hay to a water content of less than 16%. This creates the danger of moulding. This hay should not be fed to animals before December. The leaves are much shorter, finer and don't flower anymore. The fiber content is very low, the protein content conversely much larger. The growth stress caused by unfavourable environmental conditions further increases the sugar (fructane) content in the second cut. Thus "Grummet" is good food for cattle, sheep and goats, but not for horses. Further horses salivate less owing to the shorter leaves, increasing the risk of colics.
