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Degradation by Ficin of Protein from Alfalfa Hay Conserved as Conventional and Laboratory‐Scale Bales
Author(s) -
Coblentz Wayne K.,
Fritz John O.,
Bolsen Keith K.,
Skinner Daniel Z.,
Cochran Robert C.
Publication year - 1995
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/agronj1995.00021962008700040019x
Subject(s) - hay , moisture , chemistry , straw , mashing , agronomy , degradation (telecommunications) , zoology , food science , biology , telecommunications , organic chemistry , computer science
Ficin was utilized in a 2‐h in vitro incubation procedure to characterize the partitioning of N into fractions based on resistance of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) proteins to enzymatic degradation. Objectives included evaluation of the following treatment effects on N partitioning: (i) moisture content; (ii) laboratory bale density; (iii) laboratory baling without heating during storage; (iv) spontaneous heating in laboratory bales; and (v) conventional baling. Alfalfa at three moisture levels (268, 229, and 185 g kg −1 ) was conserved in the following bale types: (i) conventional bales; (ii) laboratory bales made at 1.0, 1.3, 1.7, and 2.0 times the density of conventional bales and incubated in two environments (straw stacks or insulated boxes); or (iii) a prestorage control. Significant ( P ≤ 0.05) moisture ✕ bale type interactions were observed for most N fractions, indicating N partitioning among bale types was greatly changed in high‐moisture hay, but remained relatively stable in dry hay. Except for the Pool‐C N fraction, which includes Maillard reaction products, laboratory‐bale density generally had little effect on N partitioning. At the medium and low moisture levels, prestorage controls had more Pool‐A N (greater buffer solubility) than did nonheated laboratory bales. Heating in laboratory bales facilitated additional significant change in N fractions, relative to nonheated laboratory bales. While Maillard reaction products increased in response to laboratory bale density, large increases in the portion of potentially available N most resistant to enzymatic degradation (B 2 subfraction), appeared dependent on large heat increments incurred specifically in conventional bales.