Quality Changes In Alfalfa Hay During Curing And Storage Period

Alfalfa plays an important role in animal husbandry development and adjustment of agricultural structure, which is a major forage crop with high yield and good quality in the world. The quality of hay product is leading to the commodity grades and feeding values. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the quality of alfalfa hay with different curing methods.Trialâ… : The effect of crush treatment on features of drying time and moisture loss of alfalfa under natural drying condition was studied by measuring the moisture content in different drying time. The results indicated that the moisture loss showed a"fast and slow"pattern and the speed of moisture loss of crush treatment was more quickly. The weather condition affected the drying rate to a certain degree. The time durations for merging and baling of the control were 25 and 49 hours respectively, while they were reduced to 21 and 29 hours for the crush treatment.Trialâ…¡: This study was designed two treatments (crushed and not crushed) with three tedding moisture groups (50%, 40%, 30%), and sampling in different moisture contents to research their nutrition changes and compare the effects on the quality of alfalfa in field-drying conditions. The results showed that: (1) The crushed treatment improved the LSR very significantly and preserved much more leaves than uncrushed treatment. The LSR is significantly decreased as the hay moisture and tedding moisture content drops. (2) The improvement of crude protein in crushed treatment was not significant as described. The reason needed to be studied. (3) The crushed treatment decreased CF, ADF and NDF content. CF, ADF and NDF increased as the decrease of hay moisture and tedding moisture content.Trialâ…¢: This study quantified changes in forage quality during 60d storage period in three moisture content bales (30%, 25%, 18%) , and compared their effects by testing the moisture content and temperature in alfalfa bales everyday, and sampling at 0, 4, 11, 18, 25, 32 and 60d postbaling. The results showed that: (1) The moisture content decreased quickly within 20 days, then slightly thereafter until 41d. (2) The alfalfa bales were characterized by twice temperature increasing. Compared to the second increasing, the first is shorter and less intense. The temperature of bales changed little until 33d in good airing conditions. The higher initial moisture of alfalfa bales, the greater temperature increase, the longer it lasted. (3) Baled at high moisture enhanced its CP content, but it was not significant as described. The CP content increased within 25 days, and decreased slowly thereafter. (4) The CF, ADF, NDF increased as the initial moisture content decreased, and increased all the storage period. The increase of CF occurred during 0-18d, while 0-25d with ADF and NDF. (5) The EE content decreased as the initial moisture content dropped, and increased at first, then decreased during storage period. Little changes occurred 32d after, and stabled at 5.55%. (6) The increase of Ash mainly occurred within 32 days, and changed slightly thereafter. (7) The initial moisture content made a direct impact on the quality of alfalfa, and caused greater changes via temperature increase.