| Reducing alfalfa baling losses by wetting the surface layer of mowed and raked hay |
| Paper ID : 1105-NICAME1402 |
| Authors: |
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Sadegh Afzalinia *1, Alidad Boostani2, Abdolhamid Karimi2, Dadgar Mohammadi3, Sayyed Mansour Alavimanesh4, Mashallah Zare5, Ali Nouroozi6 1Fars Agricultural & Natural Resources Research & Education Center 2Department of Animal Science Research, Fars Research and Education Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, AREEO, Shiraz, Iran 3Economic, Social and Extension Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center 4Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center 5Department of Agricultural Engineering Research, Fars Research and Education Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, AREEO, Shiraz, Iran. 6Education Center of Marvdasht, Fars Research and Education Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, AREEO, Shiraz, Iran |
| Abstract: |
| Effect of spraying water on the upper layer of the mowed and rowed alfalfa before baling process on quantitative and qualitative losses of alfalfa during baling process was evaluated in this research. The study was conducted in the form of a split plot experiment with 12 treatments and three replications. Main plots were amount of water sprayed on the alfalfa with four levels of 0, 250, 350, and 450 liters per hectare. Subplots were time interval between spraying water on alfalfa and baling time with three levels of baling alfalfa 0, 30, and 60 minutes after spraying water. Alfalfa losses at the baler pickup and compression chamber, losses during transportation, and total were measured. Alfalfa dry matter, crude protein, fat, organic matter, ash, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and amount of aflatoxin were also detected after six months storing. Results showed that spraying 450 L/ha water decreased alfalfa losses at baler pickup and compression chamber, transportation losses, and total losses by 20.4, 34.3, 4.7, and 21.1% compared to the control treatment. Time interval between spraying water on alfalfa and baling time had no significant effect on alfalfa losses during baling and transportation process. Results also indicated that spraying water on alfalfa before baling had no significant negative effect on bales quality after six months storing and did not reduce alfalfa quality during storing time. |
| Keywords: |
| Baler, alfalfa, alfalfa moisture content, alfalfa losses, alfalfa quality, storability |
| Status : Paper Accepted (Oral Presentation) |
