HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Collins, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Collins, M. Agricola Articles by Collins, M.

Hay Curing and Water Soaking: Effects on Composition and Digestion of Alfalfa Leaf and Stem Components

N122 Agricultural Sciences Bldg.-North, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0091

*Corresponding author.

Progress toward improved hay harvesting technology is limited by a lack of information on the sources of yield and forage quality losses that occur during curing of alfaffa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, especially with exposure to rain. Two trials were conducted to determine the relative contributions of separate leaf and stem components to losses in yield and quality and to changes in dry matter and cell-wall digestibility of alfalfa during hay curing and soaking with water. Concentrations of N, ash, in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD)₁ and neutral (NDF) and acid (ADF) detergent fibers were measured for leaf and stem components from alfalfa herbage just after harvest, and for field-cured and water-soaked hay. Leaf concentration averaged 386, 330 and 280 g kg^-1 in herbage, dry hay, and soaked hay, respectively. Neither hay treatment affected component N concentrations but whole-shoot N concentration was reduced in both hays due to reduced leaf concentrations. Increased component fiber concentrations and reduced leaf concentration in soaked hay both contributed to large NDF and ADF increases on a whole-shoot basis. The extent and rate of NDF disappearance were reduced in soaked hay compared with herbage. Leaf accounted for 78% or more of the respiration and shatter losses of DM, N, ash, and in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM) and 60% or more of the soaking losses of the same constituents. Onethird of the leaf N content was lost in soaked hay compared with 10% of the stem N content. Leaf and stem each lost 3% of their NDF content. Ash content losses during soaking exceeded 50% for leaf and 30% for stem. Because nearly all of the respiration and shatter losses, and most of the soaking losses, of chemical constituents came from the leaf component, reducing leaf loss offers the greatest opportunity for reducing alfalfa hay harvesting losses. Productive value of hay might be impacted more by severe wetting than constituent concentrations alone would indicate becaus extent and rate of fiber digestion are reduced.

Received for publication April 2, 1990.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D.W. Hancock and M. Collins Forage Preservation Method Influences Alfalfa Nutritive Value and Feeding Characteristics Crop Sci., February 1, 2006; 46(2): 688 - 694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Scarbrough, W. K. Coblentz, J. B. Humphry, K. P. Coffey, T. J. Sauer, J. A. Jennings, T. C. Daniel, J. E. Turner, and D. W. Kellogg Estimating Losses of Dry Matter from Simulated Rainfall on Bermudagrass and Orchardgrass Forages Using Cell Wall Components as Markers Agron. J., November 1, 2004; 96(6): 1680 - 1687. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Han, M. Collins, E. S. Vanzant, and C. T. Dougherty Bale Density and Moisture Effects on Alfalfa Round Bale Silage Crop Sci., May 1, 2004; 44(3): 914 - 919. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]