Desert heat degrades quality of stored alfalfa hay
To quantify the effects of summertime heat on baled alfalfa hay, we baled alfalfa in May 1993 in three areas of the irrigated Sonoran Desert and stored it for 20 weeks. At each site we subjected the bales to four different storage treatments: an air-conditioned room, unpro...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
1999-01-01
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| Series: | California Agriculture |
| Online Access: | http://calag.ucanr.edu/archive/?article=ca.v053n01p37 |
| Summary: | To quantify the effects of summertime heat on baled alfalfa hay, we baled alfalfa
in May 1993 in three areas of the irrigated Sonoran Desert and stored it for 20 weeks.
At each site we subjected the bales to four different storage treatments: an air-conditioned
room, unprotected in full sunlight, in full sunlight but covered with a plastic tarp,
and under a roof. Temperatures of the bales stored in full sunlight, whether tarped
or unprotected, often exceeded 120°F for extended periods of time. After 20 weeks,
feed quality of the bales stored in full sunlight decreased more than the quality
of the shaded bales and those kept in an air-conditioned room. Bales stored unprotected
in full sunlight dried out excessively and became brittle. Protected from the scant
summer rainfall, the tarp-covered bales did not bleach and were able to maintain moisture
for a longer period of time. Among the three outdoor treatments, nutritive quality
of alfalfa hay bales was best preserved by storage under a protective roof. |
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| ISSN: | 0008-0845 2160-8091 |