Drying and physical characteristics of matted ryegrass

Abstract

Fresh ryegrass and lucerne were macerated and compressed into thin mats over a 4‐week period at two yield levels. The mats were left lo dry outside during the day. and inside overnight, and compared with unconditioned crops. Under a low swath yield of 4 t DM ha−1, mats required 0·7‐1·4 mm pan evaporation lo reach 70% moisture, suitable for wilted silage, compared with 1·8‐3·8 mm pan evaporation for unconditioned crops. On an average non‐rainy day. mats were ready to harvest as wilted silage after 2–5 h, whereas the unconditioned crop required between 6 h and 36 h of wilting. With a high swath yield of 8 t DM ha−1, mats required 1·4‐3·0 mm pan evaporation to reach 70% moisture compared with 2·4‐5·1 mm for unconditioned windrows. Low‐yield mats reached 20% moisture, suitable for hay, in 2 d of drying, after 4·5‐5·3 mm of pan evaporation. The thickness and cohesion of the mats were measured to assess their sensitivity to mechanical handling. The effect of controlled rainfall on mats was also investigated. Since mat making was most effective in low‐yield crops, it could become a useful complement to low‐input, extensive forage production. Mat making could eliminate most silage effluent losses; it could re introduce haymaking of ryegrass as a viable system under certain circumstances.

Effect of intensity of maceration on digestibility and intake of alfalfa hay and silage fed to sheep

“…However, the climate is variable during harvest and the nutritional value of fresh forage can be reduced because of rainfall, prolonged wilting time, leaching and respiration. Maceration is an intensive mechanical conditioning applied to fresh herbage that can enhance field drying and reduce wilting time (Koegel et al 1992;Savoie et al 1994). In addition, maceration can cause cell rupture that frees soluble sugars and favors homolactic fermentation of silage (Muck et al 1989;Charmley et al 1997).…”

Effect of swath treatment on water loss during field‐wilting and on feeding value of perennial ryegrass silage

“…The comparable value for the crop wilted in swaths for only 24 h was 129 g of water kg –1 initial water. This decrease in drying rate in the second 24‐h period has been ascribed to resistance to water loss associated with the structure, thickness and porosity of the swath ( Jones and Harris, 1980; McGechan, 1990; Savoie et al ., 1994 ; Wright et al ., 1997 ) and therefore the overall diminution of the effect of radiant heating on the swath mass. The drying of the spread crop was also less in the second 24‐h period, but the rate of water loss was still greater (207 g of water g –1 initial water, Table 2) in this period than that of the swathed crop in the first 24‐h period.…”