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Spraying Alfalfa Hay with Water Before Baling to Minimize Harvesting Losses 1
Author(s) -
Anderson M. J.,
Mickelsen C. H.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1973.00021962006500040040x
Subject(s) - hay , dew , dry matter , agronomy , zoology , chemistry , biology , geography , meteorology , condensation
Dry alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) hay was sprayed with a fine mist of water before baling to determine if harvest losses could be reduced to the same level as dew‐moistened hay. Three studies were conducted. Study I compared hay that was dry, dew‐moistened, and sprayed with 1 liter of water per 4 m (1–4) of windrow. Study II compared the 1–4 rate to 1 liter of water per 2 m (1–2) of windrow. Spraying preceded baling by 5 to 10 minutes in studies I and II. Study III compared dry, dew‐moistened, and sprayed at the 1–4 rate 0, 5 and 10 minutes before baling. Strips over 150 m long were harvested with a 3.65‐m swather‐conditioner. Each swath was a replicate. There were 10, 6, and 11 replicates per study, respectively. Yields, chemical composition, and digestibility were determined. Digestibility and yields of dry matter (DM) and digestible DM were approximately 4, 1, and 6% higher for the sprayed hay than for the dry hay in study I. Yield of sprayed hay and dew‐moistened hay were comparable. Yields were slightly higher for the 1–2 spraying rate than for the 1‐4 rate but the differences were not significant. In study III yields were not as high for sprayed hay as for dew‐moistened hay. The 0 and 5 minute spray treatments had higher yields than the dry hay. We believe a higher spraying level should have been applied in study III. Spraying hay with water will reduce DM losses and increase nutritive value when dry, brittle hay is harvested.