Effects of a hay drying agent on drying rate and quality of alfalfa hay in a humid region
West, J.W. | Johnson, J.C. Jr | Butler, J.L.
A commerical hay drying agent (Hay Dry--registered trademark of Church & Dwight, Inc) treatment (7.8 kg drying agent in 280.6 L water/ha) was applied to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) forage at the time of cutting each of three harvests on July 17, September 15, and October 20, 1986. Drying conditions were hot and dry, hot and humid, and cool and dry, respectively, for the three harvests. Control and treated alfalfa reached 80% dry matter at 9 and 6 h, 54 and 51 h, and 51 and 32 h postcutting during the three respective harvests. Dry matter of treated alfalfa was significantly greater than the control in 15 of 22 samplings following the initial fresh sample. There were no consistent effects of the hay drying agent on the chemical composition of alfalfa forage. No reduction in crude protein content was noted, indicating that treatment with a hay drying agent did not appreciably increase leaf loss. Treated alfalfa dried more rapidly, but the effect was moderated by high humidity. Numeric differences in drying time were small in two of three harvests.
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