The Impact of Tedding on Alfalfa Nutritive Value in a Silage Production System

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1115-1118
Author(s):  
Lindsey M. Hartfield ◽  
Matthew Francis Digman

HighlightsTedding alfalfa reduced moisture content by 108 g kg-1 on a wet basis over a 24 h period.Tedding increased water soluble carbohydrates in harvested alfalfa which could improve silage nutritive value.Tedded alfalfa had similar or lower ash content compared to non-tedded alfalfa.Tedding did not have an observable impact on total digestible nutrients.Abstract. Two treatments, tedded and untedded, were applied to an alfalfa field to determine their impact on the nutritive value of the resulting harvested forage. The tedded treatment area was tedded immediately after the cutting, and the untedded treatment was left in its original 1.5 m width windrow. The tedded alfalfa dried faster (p = 0.001) than the untedded in all cuttings. When results were averaged across the three cuttings, crude protein (p = 0.006), water soluble carbohydrates (p = 0.05), and ash content (p < 0.001) were also observed to be different. The tedded treatment had a 6 g kg-1 lower crude protein content, a 9 g kg-1 higher water soluble carbohydrate content and an 8 g kg-1 lower ash content than the untedded treatment. A difference was not observed between the treatments for neutral detergent fiber (p = 0.49) or total digestible nutrients (p = 0.89). Producers can rely on a tedding intervention to hasten alfalfa drying for silage production while having a minimal impact on forage nutritive value. Keywords: Alfalfa, Forage nutritive value, Medicago sativa, Tedder

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-411
Author(s):  
Noura Saïed ◽  
Mohamed Khelifi ◽  
Annick Bertrand ◽  
Gaëtan F. Tremblay ◽  
Mohammed Aider

HighlightsJuice extraction resulted in a decrease in the nutritive value of the bagasse as compared with the initial biomass.Silages made from the second pressing bagasse were well conserved.Sweet sorghum silage has a better nutritive value than sweet pearl millet.Abstract. Pressing the biomass of sweet sorghum and sweet pearl millet in-field is one of the suggested options for bioethanol production. The extracted juice can be delivered to an ethanol plant, and the bagasse (pressing residue) can be used for ruminant feeding. Efficient carbohydrate extraction is highly important for good ethanol yield. However, enough carbohydrates must remain in the bagasse for its adequate conservation as silage. In this study, the ensilability and the chemical composition of the second pressing bagasse of sweet sorghum and sweet pearl millet were investigated. The bagasse was obtained following a second pressing of the first pressing bagasse after its impregnation with water based on three water:bagasse ratios (0.5, 1, and 1.5). Results indicated that water:bagasse ratio did not affect water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) extraction for both crops. The second pressing bagasse of sweet sorghum and sweet pearl millet contained 80.5 ±4.6 and 60 ±4.6 g of WSC kg-1 dry matter (DM), respectively. The second pressing bagasse of both crops had reduced nutritive value compared to the initial biomass, i.e., higher neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations along with lower non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration, in vitro true digestibility of DM (IVTD), and in vitro NDF digestibility (NDFd). The second pressing bagasses of both crops also showed good ensilability, but sweet sorghum bagasse silages were of better nutritive value than sweet pearl millet bagasse silages (ADF = 446.2 ±3.7 vs. 463.2 ±3.7 g kg-1 DM, IVTD = 813.8 ±3.4 vs. 708.8 ±6.8 g kg-1 DM, and NDFd = 741.8 ±4.8 vs. 596.2 ±8.5 g kg-1 NDF, respectively). The water:bagasse ratio used for bagasse impregnation before the second pressing only affected the NDF concentration of silages, as a higher NDF concentration was obtained with a water:bagasse ratio of 1.5. Sweet sorghum and sweet pearl millet can be considered dual-purpose crops; the extracted juice can be fermented into ethanol, and the second pressing bagasse can be used to make good-quality silage. Keywords: Bagasse impregnation, Nutritive value, Silage, Sweet pearl millet, Sweet sorghum, Water-soluble carbohydrates.


2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Smith ◽  
R. J. Simpson ◽  
R. N. Oram

The effects of site and season on the nutritive value of 16 perennial ryegrass cultivars and 60 half-sib families were assessed at 2 locations in South West Victoria. Crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrates, neutral detergent fibre and in vitro digestibility were measured on vegetative herbage, harvested in either autumn or spring. While no heritable genetic variation for nutritive value parameters was detected in this set of families, consistent differences in the nutritive value of cultivars were measured across sites and seasons. The cultivars Yatsyn1 and Ellett were consistently high in both water-soluble carbohydrates and in vitro digestibility. The differences in mean nutritive value between high and low ranking cultivars were ~40 g/kg water-soluble carbohydrates and 3–5% in vitro digestibility. These consistent differences in forage quality demonstrate the value of measuring forage quality during cultivar evaluation. The identification of cultivars with improved nutritive value will also facilitate the crossing of the alleles that confer this improvement into other genetic backgrounds.


1982 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 187-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Austin ◽  
M. Gill

The object of the experiment to be reported was to determine the extent to which intake and eating behaviour are influenced by differences in the ratio of nitrogen (N) to water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in the feed and the liquid phase of boli obtained from oesophageal fistulae. Four feeds were chosen as being likely to cover a range of N to WSC ratios in the liquid phase; these were frozen lucerne, lucerne silage, grass silage and grass silage treated with formaldehyde (46 g/100 g crude protein).


Author(s):  
S A Edwards ◽  
J Weddell ◽  
C Fordyce ◽  
A Cadenhead ◽  
J Rooke

Grass silage provides an alternative feed for extensively kept sows, but previous experiments have indicated very variable intake and utilisation, dependant on silage quality. ‘Maxgrass’ silage additive (BP Nutrition) is a blend of compounds including ammonium hexamethanoate, ammonium hexapropanoate and octanoic acid. It is designed to modify fermentation, so that the resulting silage retains a higher proportion of water soluble carbohydrates. This should improve the nutritive value for pigs.The experiment comprised two parts: an intake/growth study and a separate digestibility study. The same two experimental silages, either treated with Maxgrass or an untreated control, were offered to groups of pregnant sows in a randomised block experimental design in each experiment. Second cut, mainly perennial ryegrass herbage was cut by mower conditioner and direct ensiled. Alternate loads were left untreated or treated with Maxgrass at a mean rate of 6.04 litres/tonne.


2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Drapeau ◽  
G. Bélanger ◽  
G. F. Tremblay ◽  
R. Michaud

Tall fescue, harvested or grazed in autumn, may be a potential source of forage but little is known of the effect of a fall harvest or grazing on yield and nutritive value of tall fescue in the mid-north of eastern Canada (˜ 1400 growing degree-days). Three tall fescue cultivars (Courtenay, Kokanee, and Montebello) were submitted to 10 harvest management treatments (two dates of second harvest and five dates of third harvest) over 3 production years in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region (QC). The cultivars Courtenay and Kokanee were more productive and persistent than Montebello. The annual DM yield decreased by an average of 15% between the first and the second production year and by an average of 35% between the first and the third production year; these decreases were greater (22 and 41%, respectively) when the third harvest was taken in early October. Increasing from 28 to 35 d the interval between the first and second harvests increased DM yield of the second harvest by more than 0.5 Mg ha-1, but caused a greater reduction in DM yield of the third harvest, primarily during the first 2 production years. Third-harvest DM yields of more than 4.0 Mg ha-1 were obtained in the first and second production years, while third-harvest DM yields varied from 2.5 to 3.0 Mg ha-1 in the third production year. With the delay of the third harvest in autumn, the concentration of crude protein decreased to 120 g kg-1 DM, the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates increased to 150 g kg-1 DM, while that of acid detergent fibre changed very little. Tall fescue has a significant yield potential in late summer and early autumn in the mid-north of eastern Canada, primarily in the first 2 production years. However, harvesting or grazing tall fescue in the week preceding or following the first killing frost will reduce persistence and spring regrowth the following year. Key words: Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S. J. Darbyshire, cutting management, cultivars, water-soluble carbohydrates


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1507 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Chen ◽  
R. H. Bryant ◽  
G. R. Edwards

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of perennial ryegrass cultivar and timing of herbage allocation on herbage nutritive value and milk production of mid-lactation dairy cows. An autumn grazing trial using 48 Friesian × Jersey spring-calving cows was conducted over 10 days. Twelve groups of four cows were allocated to three replicates of four treatments, namely, two perennial ryegrass cultivars (AberMagic or Prospect) offered either after milking in the morning (0830 hours) or afternoon (1630 hours). Cows were offered a daily herbage allowance of 30 kg DM/cow above ground level. There were no significant differences in sward structure and morphological characteristics between cultivars, except for Prospect having a lower average tiller mass (43.1 mg) than AberMagic (48.4 mg). The concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and organic matter digestibility in DM (DOMD) was greater in AberMagic (180 g/kg, 74.2%) than in Prospect (153 g/kg, 71.4%). Herbage DM percentage, WSC concentration and DOMD were lower in the morning than in the afternoon (18.8% vs 22.3% DM; 154 vs 179 g/kg WSC; 72.1% vs 73.5% DOMD). Herbage DM intake (12.0 kg/cow.day), milk yield (17.2 kg/cow.day) and milksolids yield (1.60 kg/cow.day) did not differ significantly among treatments. Cultivar choice and timing of allocation influenced herbage WSC concentration and digestibility, but did not alter milksolids production.


2002 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. V. STOREHEIER ◽  
S. D. MATHIESEN ◽  
N. J. C. TYLER ◽  
I. SCHJELDERUP ◽  
M. A. OLSEN

The marginal winter pastures of reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Arctic and sub-Arctic areas are assumed to be nitrogen- and mineral-poor. Reindeer eat a mixed diet consisting of nitrogen-deficient lichens and a wide variety of vascular plants in winter. Some reindeer populations manage to maintain carcass mass outside the growing season and very little is known about the ability of reindeer to utilize vascular plants in this season. The chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of 17 species of vascular forage plants and one species of moss collected mid-winter from beneath the snow at an inland winter pasture in northern Norway were determined. Wintergreen parts of graminoids had a high content of crude protein (0.072–0.108 g/kg dry matter (DM)) and water-soluble carbohydrates (0.098–0.167 g/kg DM) and were highly digestible (50–65% IVDMD) compared with the withered parts of the plants (27–53% IVDMD). The digestibility of both shrubs and graminoids was inversely related to content of cellulose and lignin, but positively correlated with increasing contents of water-soluble carbohydrates. Shrubs were relatively calcium-rich (3.6–6.1 g/kg DM) while wintergreen graminoids contained up to 10.0 g/kg DM of potassium, 1.5 g/kg DM magnesium and 2.1 g/kg DM phosphorus. The present study demonstrates that the wintergreen parts of several species of vascular plants are nutritious, containing high levels of nitrogen and minerals, and that they are highly digestible to reindeer in winter. Vascular plants may, therefore, be more important to reindeer and caribou in winter than previously realized.


1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Beaulieu ◽  
J. R. Seoane ◽  
P. Savoie ◽  
D. Tremblay ◽  
R. Thériault ◽  
...  

Thirty-two sheep (30.0 kg avg. BW) were used to study the effects of dry-matter (DM) content at harvest on the nutritive value of timothy grass silages conserved as round bales of high (52.1%, DM50), medium (39.9%, DM40) and low (23.1%, DM25) DM. Chopped grass of 24.4% DM conserved in a horizontal silo (HS) was used as a control. Gross energy, crude protein (CP) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) contents were similar for all silages (P > 0.05). Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents decreased as DM of the silages decreased (P < 0.05). Acid detergent lignin and ash contents were highest in HS and lowest in DM40 silages (P < 0.05). Silage pH and water-soluble carbohydrates decreased with decreasing DM of the silages (P < 0.05), while ammonia-N and lactate levels increased (P < 0.05). Acetate concentrations in round bales were lower than in HS silage (P < 0.05). Significant butyrate concentrations were detected only in DM25 silage. Round-bale silages were chopped before feeding and fed ad libitum. DM intake was 14.5% higher for DM50 and DM40 silages than for DM25 and HS silages (P < 0.001). Average daily gain and feed efficiency were higher for high-DM silages than for DM25 and HS silages (P < 0.01). Apparent digestibilities of NDF, cellulose and crude fiber of the silages were similar, but DM, organic matter, energy and hemicellulose digestibilities were higher for HS than for DM25 silage. Apparent digestibilities of ADF and CP were higher for high-DM silages than for DM25 and HS silages (P < 0.04). The results indicate that to obtain good-quality silage, the DM content of round bales should be 40–50%. The better performance obtained with high-DM silages was indicative of a more efficient utilization of metabolizable energy for gain. Key words: Round-bale silage, timothy, forage


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian J. Moscoso ◽  
Sarah A. Morgan ◽  
M. Jordana Rivero

The objective of this study was to assess the joint effect of perennial ryegrass cultivars and drying methods on concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein (CP) and WSC/CP ratio. AberMagic AR1 and Expo AR1 forage were collected in December 2016, March, June, September and November 2017 and either oven-dried at 60 °C for 48 h (OD_60), at 80 °C for 16 h (OD_80), frozen at −80 °C for 48 h then freeze-dried (−80_FD), or flash-frozen with liquid N then freeze-dried (LN_FD). Data were analyzed by ANOVA in a factorial design with cultivar and drying method as factors. AberMagic AR1 had between 9.0 to 31.5% higher WSC concentration than Expo AR1 in the four samplings. Freeze-drying preserved more WSC than oven-drying treatments (+22.7%), particularly in June. The CP concentration of Expo AR1 was higher only in December (+6.8%), and was 22.9 and 10.9% higher in OD_60 samples compared to LN_FD samples in December and November, respectively. The WSC/CP ratio varied in June, being greater in AberMagic AR1 (+36.1%). Drying method affected WSC/CP ratio in December, June and November where freeze-drying produced greater ratios. Drying techniques generated differences in WSC, CP and WSC/CP ratio, which may affect the accuracy of the estimated impacts of forages on productivity and N use efficiency.


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