Forage
FORAGE NEWS
Windrow Spacing and Conditioners Aid in Curing Process
Hay growers are always looking for the best management to achieve a high-quality crop. Here are some suggestions to refine alfalfa curing practices to maintain quality of harvested hay. Rapid, uniform curing of alfalfa is most desirable. However, recent research reveals forages don’t dry at a uniform rate. Proper cutting and management practices can help offset curing time and potential quality losses. “Growers may think when alfalfa has been cut, it’s dead, ”says Dr. Bill Mahanna, coordinator of global nutritional sciences for Pioneer. “Those cells continue to live. They’re living, functioning and metabolizing in the windrow until the plant reaches about 48 percent moisture.”
“There are three main reasons for quality loss, ”Mahanna continued, “respiration losses in the field, leaf shatter from harvesting equipment and the worst – leaching due to any kind of rain. ”Through proper curing practices, losses can be minimized. Alfalfa curing has three phases. The initial and intermediate phases occur rapidly. The final phase takes progressively more time.
“There is a misconception that leaves dry primarily through the surface, but the surface is covered with a waxy cutin layer for protection,” says Mahanna. “The drying process actually occurs through stomates – where the moisture escapes. ”Stomates are openings in the leaves, small holes that act like lungs. Oxygen and moisture exit the alfalfa plant through these holes. Stomates open during the day and close at night. “In order to keep stomates open and functioning properly, growers need to look at their windrows. If a windrow is narrow and shaded, the stomates will close, ”says Mahanna. “In return, you won’t achieve the initial phase of rapid drying.” Spreading out a windrow creates more surface area for exposure to the sun and wind, allowing stomates to open and facilitate the removal of moisture through the leaves. “By understanding what those openings do – act like lungs – growers can aid the drying process through good windrow management. This allows moisture to escape and the crop to move into the intermediate phase of drying,” says Mahanna. “At that moisture level, it is safe to silo to hay at harvest.
Another option for growers is conditioners. A conditioner on a harvester along with a wide windrow is most beneficial when a grower is planning to bale alfalfa for dry hay. “If growers want dry hay, that’s where conditioners are most beneficial. We still can have the wide windrow, but it helps considerably to utilize a conditioner, so when the stem is crushed there is radial movement of moisture from it,” says Mahanna. (SOURCE: PFGC News, Vol. 20 #1) 04/19/10
PRESEASON HAY EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Looking for something to do while waiting for snow to melt and spring arrive? Preseason maintenance of hay equipment now might save you time a couple months later. Stick around. Hay equipment needs proper maintenance to perform well. Preseason maintenance also can help prevent costly downtime when delays can be very costly. Let's briefly review some important maintenance steps.
First off, inspect, lubricate, and service all power driven areas such as belts, bearings, chains, and gears. Set tension on belts and chains as well. Also, check, sharpen, or replace cutterbar sections or disc blades and adjust wear plates, hold-down clips, and guards. Make sure your cutterbar has proper knife register. Conditioning rollers often are overlooked. Check the spacing between the rolls and adjust roll timing for your crop. Better conditioning will help your hay dry faster. On round balers, inspect belts, chains, and slats or rollers frequently for wear. Trim frayed edges and repair belts as needed to maintain uniform tension. When not in use, keep belts clean and release belt tension. Rectangular balers need plunger knife clearance and plunger alignment checked. Also inspect the tying mechanism and adjust it as needed. Pick-up teeth on balers and on rakes frequently are broken or bent. Replace defective teeth and adjust height if necessary. Also, be sure you have replacement parts on hand of frequently broken or replaced items. And most important of all, review your owner’s manual to identify recommended maintenance procedures and proper settings. Take a little time now and you will reduce down time. 04/19/10
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