Substantiation of the basic constructive-and-technological parameters of technology for preparing haylage of the cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) using gas preservative

Abstract

The most important task for the further development of animal breeding is increase of production of feed, increase of its quality and reduction of production costs. Important thing in these conditions is the parallel development of two areas - creation of highly productive agrocenoses and development of technologies capable of saving the obtained feed mass for future use during winter period. A valuable component in grass mixtures when creating highly productive hayfields in the North-West region is the cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), which in the North conditions forms rather high yield of feed mass, as soon as it responds to fertilizer application properly. On the basis of the Institute of Agrobiotechnology Federal Research Center Komi Scientific Center Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia, Komi Republic, Syktyvkar), a device has been developed for treating haylage by carbon dioxide. To determine the efficiency of this technique when harvesting haylage of cocksfoot, two series of experiments were carried out - laboratory and field. In the course of the laboratory experiment, we conducted an experiment according to the Box-Behnken plan of the second order for four factors with three levels of variation. The optimal parameters of the device were determined as a result: density of raw materials; volume of raw material processed by one spray nozzle; gas preservative consumption and its dose. In the field experiment, haylage was processed in rolls according to certain optimal parameters. The feed obtained was compared in terms of quality with haylage prepared of the same raw material in compliance with standard technology, but with no preservatives. As a result of the studies, it has been determined that carbon dioxide is most effective when harvesting the cocksfoot as raw material for haylage, with the following parameters: density of pressing the hay mass - 290-330 kg/m3 ; moisture content of raw materials - 53-55 %; dose of carbon dioxide introduced into the haylage - (0.40-0.50)∙10-3 m3 /kg; carbon dioxide consumption through a gas supply reducer 0.500.60 m3 /h. This provides an increase in feed units in one kilogram of feed by 0.3, exchange energy - by 0.4 MJ, digestible protein - by 1 g.