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

This Article Full Text 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 Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Norman, R. C. Articles by Rosenkrans, C. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Norman, R. C. Articles by Rosenkrans, C. F., Jr. Agricola Articles by Norman, R. C. Articles by Rosenkrans, C. F. Related Collections Forage Management Other Forage Crops

FORAGE & GRAZINGLANDS

Effects of Storage Conditions on the Forage Quality Characteristics and Ergovaline Content of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Hays

^a Dep. of Animal Science, Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701
^b USDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center, Univ. of Wisconsin Marshfield Agric. Exp. Stn., 8396 Yellowstone Dr., Marshfield, WI 54449
^c Univ. of Arkansas Livestock and Forestry Branch Stn., 70 Experiment Station Dr., Batesville, AR 72501
^d Dep. of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Contribution of the Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn. This project was funded in part by USDA Cooperative Agreement #58-6227-8-040

^* Corresponding author (coblentz{at}wisc.edu).

Throughout the southern Ozark Highlands, endophyte-infected tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh] hay often is stored outdoors, without cover. At two research sites (Fayetteville and Batesville, AR), the effects of unprotected storage were assessed for large round bales of tall fescue hay packaged at three diameters (1.1, 1.4, and 1.7 m). Bales were stored over winter either inside or outside on wooden pallets and then sampled at three depths (0–0.15 m, 0.15–0.31 m, and 0.31–0.46 m). At both locations, bale diameter had no effect (p > 0.05) on dry matter (DM) recovery or nutritive value. Generally, there was little deterioration of nutritive value during the storage period, regardless of treatment; however, some interactions (p 0.041) of storage location and sampling depth were observed at each experimental site. Ruminal disappearance kinetics of DM exhibited some statistical differences (p 0.030) in response to treatment; however, their relative magnitude was generally small, and there was little evidence to suggest biological relevance. After storage, concentrations of ergovaline were not affected (p > 0.05) by baling treatment at Batesville (overall mean 256 µg kg^–1); however, this was a 27.3% reduction from the initial concentration immediately after mowing. At Fayetteville this reduction was even greater, falling by 79.4% between standing forage (539 µg kg^–1) and samples taken from baled hay after storage (111 µg kg^–1). At both sites, bales stored outside on wooden pallets exhibited relatively small changes in nutritive value, disappearance kinetics, and ergovaline at the bale surface relative to the internal portions of the bale.

Abbreviations: ADF, acid-detergent fiber • CP, crude protein • DM, dry matter • IVDMD, in vitro dry matter disappearance • NDF, neutral-detergent fiber