KENYA STANDARD      KS 2832 -2:2018  
ICS65.120  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hay as animal feed  — Specification  
 
Part 2: Legume Hay  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 201 8 First Edition 201 8 
 
 
  KS 2832 -2:2018  
ii  © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRES ENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation  — State Department of Livestock  
Kenyatta University —Department of Animal Science  
Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization  (KALRO)  – Dairy Research  Institute   
Unga Farm Care EA Ltd.  
Modern Ways Ltd.  
Department of Veterinary Services  
Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (AKEFEMA)  
Government Chemist Department  
Pioneer Feeds Ltd . 
 University  of Embu   Department of Agricultural Economics and E xtension  
University of Nairobi  – Center For Environmental Law and Policy  
Accelerat ing  Agriculture and Livestock Enterprises  Ltd (AALE)  
Global Space Africa Agribusiness  Ltd (GLOSAA)  
Pembe Flour Mills Ltd. 
Joeliz Bone meal Ltd.  
Sarnergy Ltd.  
Kenya Bureau of  Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
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for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 201 8 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copy right 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided unde r Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in  writing 
from the Managing Director.  
  KENYA STANDARD                                            KS 2832 -2:2018  
 
© KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved    iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hay as animal feed  — Specification  
 
Part 2: L egume Hay  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
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Fax: (+254   041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 
  KS 2832 -2:2018  
iv  © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved   
Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Animal Feeds Technical Committee under the guidance of the 
Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards.  
Though over 70 percent of feed for domestic animals comes from forage materials, institutional and 
regulatory framework governing their production, processing and marketing including private sector support 
is underdeveloped . Market analysis allu de to the existence of significant market opportunities for  fodder 
farmers provided they increase productivity, reduce cost of production, improve quality and safety, and 
enhance efficiency in marketing. In order to achieve quantity and quality pasture an d fodder,  promote fair 
trade and allow c ustomer choice of type of hay,  development of standards need to be prioritized . The 
Standard seeks to guard against hay adulteration, enhance traceability,  and ensure feed quality and safety  
under commercial hay production and marketing. The hay standard provides guidelines for  minimum 
nutritional, weight and safety requirements of commercial  hay in order to facilitate trade.  
 
It is anticipated that this standard will facilitate  both hay producers , traders, t ransporters  and animal feeds 
millers to maintain  quality and exercise proper  control during, harvesting,  transport,  processing and  storag e. 
 
In the preparation of  this standard, reference was made to:  
 
 Fertilizers and Animal Feedstuffs Act, Cap 345.  
 Directive 2002/32/EC  on undesirable substances on animal feed.  
 Typical nutrient composition of some common grasses and legumes in Kenya. 
https://www.livestockkenya.com/index.php/blog/feeds -and-feeding/134 -typical -nutrient -composition -
of-some -common -grasses -and-legumes -in-kenya  
 FAO, (2006)  Kenyan pastures . Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles  
 Heuzé V. , Tran G. , Boval M. , Noblet J. , Renaudeau D. , Lessire M. , Lebas F. , 2016. Alfalfa (Medicago 
sativa) . Feedipedia, a programme  by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO.  
 
  
KENYA STANDARD        KS 2832 -2:2018  
 
© KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved    1  
 
Hay as animal feed — Specification  
 Part 2: Legume Hay  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard specifies  the requirements and test methods for Legume  hay used as animal feed.  
 
. 
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.  For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
KS 63 , Methods of test for animal feedstuffs  
 
KS 2543 , The animal feed industry  — Code of prac tice 
 
 
3 Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the following definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 Hay 
 
Hay is grass, legumes , or other herbaceous plants  that have been cut  and dried for use as 
animal feed. 
 
 
 
3.2 Lucerne (Alfalfa) Hay 
 
 A perennial legume of the  species Medicago sativa    that has been cut, dried  and baled  for use as 
feed  
 
 
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
 Lucern e hay shall be ;  
 
a) Presented in form of bales weighing a  minimum  of 1 8 kgs; 
 
b) Free from harmful constituents  including  weeds,  glass,  stones and soil, metallic objects  and other  
adulterants ; 
 
c) Free f rom moulds, or insect infestation ;  
2  © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved   
d) Free from musty, rancid or uncharacteristic odour.  
 
e) Free from rain damage  
 
f) Free from poisonous plants and seeds  
 
g) Free from plant pests  and diseases  
 
h) Free from animal pests and disease causing agents  
 
i) Shall be free from p esticide and herbicide residues  
 
 
 
4.2  Specific  requirements for Lucerne  Hay 
 
Hay shall also co mply with the nutritional requirements prescribed in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Nutritional requirements for lucerne hay  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SL No  Parameters (%DM)  Limits  Test method  
i) Moisture content (max.)  18.0 KS -63 
 
iii) Crude protein (Min)  18.0 
iv) Methionine  (Min)  0.23 
v) Lysine  (Min)  0.77 
vi) Crude Fiber (Max)  30.0 
vii) Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) , (Max)  50.0 
viii) Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF)  (Max)  35.0 
ix) Total ash (max.)  10 
x) Calcium (m in.) 0.2 
xi) Phosphorous (min.)  0.1   KS 2832 -2:2018  
© KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved    3  
 
5.Heavy metals and pesticide residues  
 
5.1 Heavy metal Contaminants  
 
Hay shall comply with the maximum limits of heavy metals as specified in the table 2 
 
Table  2:   Limits of heavy metals  
 
S/N Heavy metal Limits  Maximum limit 
(mg/kg) Test method  
i Arsenic  4.0  
ISO 27085  
 ii Lead  30 
iii Cadmium  1.0 
iv Mercury  0.1 
 
 
 
5.2   Pesticide residues  
 
Shall not exceed the limits established by the Codex Alimentarius  CODEX STAN 193 -1995 on 
Contaminants  
 
6 Aflatoxins  
 
Total aflatoxin level shall not exceed 100 ppb while aflatoxin B1 shall not exceed 5ppb.  
 
7 Packaging and labeling 
 
7.1  Packaging  
 
7.1.1 Hay for sale shall be  baled using sufficiently strong twines so as to withstand reasonable handling 
without tearing, or falling open during transport ation  and storage.   
 
7.1.2  Hay should be transported  in clean vehicles and the hay should be covered.  
 
 
7.2 Labeling  
 
Hay bales shall be labeled. The following particulars shall be legibly and indelibly displayed on the 
label.  
 
I. Type of hay ( Lucern e) 
II. Name and the physical address of the producer.  
III. Net weight.  
IV. Batch number  
V. Date of harvest  /production  
VI. Expiry date  
VII. Instruction for storage  
VIII. Nutritional information. ( Moisture ,Crude protein(CP) and Crude fibre(CF )  
4  © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved