Forage Harvest and Preservation Expectations Managing for 1 Tons Forage Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin From the moment the crop is cut until it is fed to the animal, biological and mechanical changes occur that decrease quantity and nutritional quality of feed. Goals: Conserve the protein and energy in the forage Maintain protein in a form that can be effectively utilized by the ruminant. Common Forage Harvesting Losses Field curing -26% Optimum Management Field curing -1% 1 29% Fed 71% Lost Harvesting -14% 1 73% Fed 27% Lost Harvesting -8% 9 9 Percent of Total Dry Matter Lost 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 lax good Management Feeding Storage Harvesting Field Curing Storage -35% Feeding -3% Percent of Total Dry Matter Lost 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 lax good Management Feeding Storage Harvesting Field Curing Storage -5% Feeding -8% Percent of Total Dry Matter Lost 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Cost of Forage 73% loss $345/t lax Management 27% loss $14/t good Assuming hay at $1/ton Feeding Storage Harvesting Field Curing Yield, t/a 12. 1. 8. 6. 4. 2.. Top yield of Alfalfa varieties, UW Variety Trials Arlington, WI Average 7.9 t/a 1985 1988 1991 1995 1998 21 24 27 21 213 1987 1991 1996 1999 22 25 28 211 1988 1992 1998 21 24 27 21 l--------first Production year--------l ---Second Production year---l --Third Production year--l 1
Yield, t/a Top yield of Alfalfa Varieties, UW Variety Trials Marshfield, WI 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.. Average 5.6 t/a 1986 199 1993 1996 1999 22 25 28 211 1987 1991 1995 1998 21 24 27 21 1988 1992 1998 21 25 28 211 l--------first Production year--------l ---Second Production year- --l --Third Production year--l Getting high forage yield and quality Plant density for high yield Plant density is not a good indicator of yield Stands should have at least 6 plants/ft 2 Stems are a good indicator of yield potential Need at least 55 stems/ft 2 for optimum yield DM Yield, % of Max 1 8 6 4 2 Alfalfa Stem Density and Yield 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stems per ft 2 Rotational Benefit: Alfalfa Legume Credits Medium/Fine Soils Sandy Soils ---Alfalfa Regrowth after last cutting--- Stand Density >8 inches <8 inches >8 inches <8 inches -------------lb nitrogen/acre------------ Good, > 4 plt/ft 2 19 15 14 1 Fair, 1.5 to 4 plt/ft 2 16 12 11 6 Poor, < 1.5 plt/ft 2 13 9 8 4 Rotational Benefit: Corn silage and grain yields following alfalfa N Rate Corn Silage Yield Corn Grain Yield Lb N/a T DM/ac Bu/ac, 15.5% 9.77 228 2 9.75 226 4 9.81 228 8 9.78 229 16 9.88 229 LSD (.1) NS NS Data are averages over 5 MN locations in 29 Data Source: Jeff Coulter, Michael Russelle, Craig Sheaffer, and Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota Rotational benefit: of alfalfa on corn yield Corn y ie ld ( bu/ a ) 16 15 14 13 12 11 1 cont corn 2-year ssgcorn 2-year sorgcorn 2-year fallo w - corn 2-year alfcorn 3-year sunfalfcorn Source: P.M. Porter, R.K. Crookston, J.H. Ford, D.R. Huggins, W.E. Lueschen. 1997 2
Getting high forage yield and quality Yield difference between top and bottom alfalfa entries in Wisconsin Alfalfa Trials, 1985 to 215 Tons/acre 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Average Yield Difference 2.23t/a 1985 1987 1988 1989 1989 199 1991 1991 1992 1993 1995 1996 1997 1997 1998 1999 1999 2 21 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 211 212 214 Harvest Year Average 2.23t/a DM Minimum.34t/a DM Maximum 6.18t/a DM Number trials 34 Winterhardiness Aphanomyces Resistance helps get good stands! Location Management Soil fertility Frequency of cutting Late fall cutting Look for uneven spring greenup If occurs - need more winterhardiness Recommend both Apron & Stamina fungicides for Seed Treatment Getting high forage yield and quality No Stamina Stamina Treated Apron seed treatment still beneficial for pythium control 3
Fungicide on Alfalfa Forage Fungicide on alfalfa Foliar diseases result in leaf drop Reduced yield Reduced forage quality Applications limited to 3 cuttings per year Must apply before know if disease will be present Biggest benefit from using on first cutting Treatment cost of $35/A (including the application fee of $8/A). Is it economic? Alfalfa Weevil Damage Potato Leafhopper Potato leaf hopper scouting and economic thresholds If the average Potato leaf hopper count exceeds the height of alfalfa in inches - spray 4
Getting high forage yield and quality Harvest and Preservation Expectations From the moment the crop is cut until it is fed to the animal, biological and mechanical changes occur that decrease quantity and nutritional quality of feed. Goals: Conserve the protein and energy in the forage Maintain protein in a form that can be effectively utilized by the ruminant. Forage Quality Needs of Animals Forage Quality Needs of Animals Dairy, 1st trimester Dairy Calf 1 Stocker cattle Growing lambs & kids Heifer, 18-24 mo Dry cow Heifer, 12-18 mo Beef cow & calf Dairy, last 2 days Heifer, 3-12 month Stocker cattle Ewe/doe, not lactating Idle horse Nursing mare Hard working horse Beef cow & calf Ewe with lamb Doe with kid 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 Relative Forage Quality 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 Relative Forage Quality Effect of forage quality on 4% fat-corrected milk production at four concentrate levels Rate of Alfalfa Forage Quality Change per Day 4% fat corrected milk (lb/day) 9 8 7 6 5 4 Prebloom Early bloom Mid bloom Full bloom Alfalfa maturity stage % grain in ration 2% 37% 54% From Kawas et al., 1989 Component Mean Crude Protein, % DM -.25 Acid Detergent Fiber, % DM.36 Neutral Detergent Fiber, % DM.43 Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility, % NDF -.43 RFV, points -2.9 RFQ, points -3.6 Source: Undersander, 29 unpublished 5
Estimates are made at 4 to 5 locations in a field. The tallest stem may not be the most advanced in maturity. Take first cutting by plant height Measure from soil surface. Measure to top of stem tip, not tip of highest leaflet. Getting high forage yield and quality Conditioner types Wide swath benefits Flail/impellers Faster drying Higher forage quality Intermeshing Rolls Narrow windrow Wide Swath Leaf Structure Legumes have 1 times more stomata than grasses Upper and lower epidermis is heavily coated with wax conserves water protects surface cells Stomatal opennings 6
Drying Hay - Principles Drying Hay - Principles Losses Due to Respiration DM Loss 2% 4% 8% Economic Loss ($/t) Hay value $2/t $4 $8 $16 Hay value $3/t $6 $12 $24 Losses Due to Respiration Quality Loss ADF, % NDF, % RFQ Value, $/t 3. 4. 153 $239 Minimize loss by drying to 6% moisture as quickly as possible Barnett, Weekly Hay Market Request for Upper Midwest, Oct 23, 215 Drying Hay - Principles Summary Losses Due to Respiration Quality Loss ADF, % NDF, % RFQ Value, $/t 3. 4. 153 $239 --If lose 4% dry matter of starch/sugars-- 33. 43.4 134 $144 $-95/t Minimize loss by drying to 6% moisture as quickly as possible Halopka, Weekly Hay Market Request for Upper Midwest, Oct 23, 215 Lose first 15% water as quickly as possible Begin with wide swath (>7% of cut area). Conditioning necessary for hay not haylage. Condition alfalfa & alfalfa/grass mixtures with roller conditioner. Rake/merge with minimal ground contact to reduce dirt in forage. Additional tedding often necessary for grasses 4 Remove hay/haylage from field rapidly to minimize wheel traffic damage Yield loss 35 Will lose 6% from 3 next cutting for every 25 day after cutting that field is driven over 2 15 1 5 2 5 Wheel traffic 5 days after cutting Traffic applied days after No cutting wheel traffic % yield loss from next cutting Alfalfa regrowth 1 days after cutting TDN loss as result of heating > 86 o F 7
Results of Malliard Reaction TDN = dnfc + dcp+ 2.25*FA + dndf - 7 Change, Percentage Units 6 4 Dig NDF 2 Dig CP -2-4 Dig NFC -6-8 -1 TDN -12 Heating Degree Days > 86F TDN losses of farmer submitted samples to forage testing laboratories TDN losses (% of DM) Number of samples Percent of total < 911 25-4. 894 25 4.-8. 1221 34 8.-12. 517 14 >12. 69 2 Total 3612 Moisture for baling to prevent mold Allowable moisture in hay without spoilage Square Bale Size Small Medium (3 x 3 ) Large (4 x 4 ) <2% <16% <14% Small (4 w x 5 h) Round Bale Size Medium (5 w x 5 h) Large (5 w x 6 h) <18% <16% <15% Depends on heat transfer conditions. Can bale without spoilage at higher moisture content if: Cooler air temperatures (e.g. fall vs summer) Smaller bale less self insulation Single bale vs stack some growers let bales sweat for a couple weeks then stack. Amount of heating depends on heat transfer conditions. Heating in bunker due to poor packing Reducing heating damage loss For silage Use inoculant Pack well Feed 1 ft/day from face For hay Harvest sufficiently dry to prevent heating/mold Use preservative/wrap in plastic Make smaller bales Don t stack until finished curing 8
Alfalfa Leaf Loss Effect on Forage Quality Apply Hay Preservative Leaves higher in quality than stems Leaves 15 to 2% NDF Stems 6 to 7% NDF Leaf Percentage 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Effect of leaf percentage on RFQ y =.52x - 28.32 R² =.71 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 Relative Forage Quality Use Preservative for wet hay Wrap in plastic - baleage *Hay preservative additives not needed for baleage Possible Preservatives Ammonia Urea Note: Ammonia recommended only for grass, not alfalfa Propionic acid needed to preserve hay 25 Inoculants 2 Propionic acid 15 Acetic acid 1 Buffered acids 5 treat bales > 15 lb treat bales > 2 lb treat small square bales Acid salts Ethoxyquin 16 18 2 22 25 3 Propionic Acid Required (lb/t) Moisture Content of Hay (%) Can wrap bales at any moisture between 2 and 7% Below 5% moisture - oxygen exclusion Above 5% moisture both oxygen exclusion and fermentation with acid production Less spoilage on feedout Fermentation and moisture content Wrap in plastic Increasing lactic acid fermentation Butyric acid fermentation Preserves by excluding oxygen Need at least 6 wraps 1 3 5 7 Moisture content (%) Fermentation may be important on feedout but not for preservation of baleage 9
How to make baleage: Wrap Quickly after baling Temp (F) Timing of Bale Wrapping effect on Internal Temperature of Bale over Time, 15 14 13 12 11 1 9 8 7 Time from Baling to wrapping no wrap hours 24 hours 48 hours 96 hours Baling Cutting forage for hay/haylage Higher initial machinery cost Higher energy requirement Stones cause knife damage 6 Lancaster, WI 1998 dry bales (36% moisture) Baling Cutting forage for hay/haylage Higher initial cost Higher energy requirement Stones cause knife damage Greater bale density Better feed intake Better animal gain Less feeding loss Getting high forage yield and quality Tissue Test - Sufficiency Levels of Nutrients Alfalfa and Sulfur Nutrient --% of DM-- Nitrogen 2.5 to 4. Phosphate (P 2 O 5 ).25 to.45 Potash (K 2 O) 2.25 to 3.4 Calcium.7 to 2.5 Magnesium.25 to.7 Sulfur.25 to.5 -- ppm -- Boron 25 to 6 Sample top 6 inches of alfalfa at first flower Alfalfa requires 5 lb sulfur/ton hay Deficiency Reduces yield Reduces stand life Soil test not accurate Tissue test at harvest 1
Getting high forage yield and quality For Additional Information fyi.uwex.edu/forage UW Publications Learning Store learningstore.uwex.edu 11