Morning vs. Afternoon Harvest Time of Alfalfa, Clover, and Barley Affect the Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Silage

Subject Areas : Camel

J. Bayatkouhsar ¹ , F. Rezaii ² , F. Ghanbari ³ , R. Rahchamani ⁴

1 - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad-e Kavus University, Gonbad-e Kavus, Iran
2 - Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Iran
3 - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad-e Kavus University, Gonbad-e Kavus, Iran
4 - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad-e Kavus University, Gonbad-e Kavus, Iran

Received: 2021-01-24 Accepted : 2021-09-16 Published : 2022-03-01

Keywords: alfalfa, chemical composition, barley, clover, Nutritional value, Harvest time,

Abstract :

The chemical composition of forages varies during the day. The natural fermentation characteristics of silage may be influenced by these variations. A study was conducted to investigate the effect of cutting time (morning vs. afternoon) on chemical composition, gas production parameters, and digestibility and fermentation characteristics of alfalfa, clover, and barley silage using the gas production method. Alfalfa, clover, and barley forages were harvested twice in the morning (06:00) and the afternoon (18:00). Forages were ensiled in laboratory silos in triplicate at each cutting time and analyzed after 45 days to determine fermentation characteristics. After 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hours of incubation, the cumulative gas production was measured. After a 24-hour incubation period, the dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolizable energy (ME), pH, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were determined. Gas production at different times, water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), starch, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content, net energy for lactation (NEl), and net energy for growth (NEg) were also measured. The results indicated that afternoon-cut forages had lower levels of NDF and ADF than morning-cut forages (P<0.05), as well as greater amounts of starch and WSC. Afternoon-cut ensiled forages had higher dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), NEl, and NEg and lower pH, significantly. Afternoon-cut forages had a higher gas production potential than morning-cut forages. In general, it may be concluded that delaying harvest time from morning to afternoon can improve the nutritional value of forage.

References:

Abrahamse P., Tamminga S. and Dijkstra J. (2009). Effect of daily movement of dairy cattle to fresh grass in morning or afternoon on intake, grazing behaviour, rumen fermentation and milk production. J. Agric. Sci. 147, 721-730.

Antaya N., Berthiaume R., Tremblay G. and Brito A.F. (2015). Feeding red clover cut in the afternoon or morning to late-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 98, 7335-7339.

AOAC. (2000). Official Methods of Analysis. 17^th Ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.

Berthiaume R., Benchaar C., Chaves A., Tremblay G., Castonguay Y., Bertrand A., Bélanger G., Michaud R., Lafrenière C. and Brito A. (2007). Increasing non structural carbohydrates in alfalfa improves in vitro microbial N synthesis. J. Dairy Sci. 90, 430-430.

Blummel M., Steinga H. and Becker K. (1997). The relationship between in vitro gas production, in vitro microbial biomass yield and 15 N incorporation and its implications for the prediction of voluntary feed intake of roughages. British J. Nutr. 77, 911-921.

Brito A., Tremblay G., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Belanger G., Michaud R., Lafreniere C., Martineau R. and Berthiaume R. (2016). Performance and nitrogen use efficiency in mid-lactation dairy cows fed timothy cut in the afternoon or morning. J. Dairy Sci. 99, 5445-5460.

Brito A.F., Tremblay G.F., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Belanger G., Michaud R., Lapierre H., Benchaar C., Petit H.V., Ouellet D.R. and Berthiaume R. (2008). Alfalfa cut at sundown and harvested as baleage improves milk yield of late-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 91, 3968-3982.

Brito A., Tremblay G., Lapierre H., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Belanger G., Michaud R., Benchaar C., Ouellet D. and Berthiaume R. (2009). Alfalfa cut at sundown and harvested as baleage increases bacterial protein synthesis in late-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 92, 1092-1107.

Broderick G. and Kang J. (1980). Automated simultaneous determination of ammonia and total amino acids in ruminal fluid and in vitro media1. J. Dairy Sci. 63, 64-75.

Broderick G.A. (1995). Desirable characteristics of forage legumes for improving protein utilization in ruminants. J. Anim. Sci. 73, 2760-2773.

Burns J., Fisher D. and Mayland H. (2007). Diurnal shifts in nutritive value of alfalfa harvested as hay and evaluated by animal intake and digestion. Crop Sci. 47, 2190-2197.

Burns J.C., Mayland H.F. and Fisher D.S. (2005). Dry matter intake and digestion of alfalfa harvested at sunset and sunrise1. J. Anim. Sci. 83, 262-270.

Chen D., Peel M.D., Olson K.C., Weimer B.C. and DeWald D.B. (2009). Differential ruminal degradation of alfalfa proteins. Canadian J. Plant Sci. 89, 1065-1074.

Claessens A., Bipfubusa M., Chouinard-Michaud C., Bertrand A., Tremblay G.F., Castonguay Y., Belanger G., Berthiaume R. and Allard G. (2021). Genetic selection for nonstructural carbohydrates and its impact on other nutritive attributes of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) forage. Plant Breed. 140(5), 933-943.

Coblentz W. and Grabber J. (2013). In situ protein degradation of alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil hays and silages as influenced by condensed tannin concentration. J. Dairy Sci. 96, 3120-3137.

Cone J.W. and van Gelder A.H. (1999). Influence of protein fermentation on gas production profiles. Anim. Feed Sci Technol. 76, 251-264.

Downing T., Buyserie A., Gamroth M. and French P. (2008). Effect of water soluble carbohydrates on fermentation characteristics of ensiled perennial ryegrass. Prof. Anim. Sci. 24, 35-39.

Edmunds B., Spiekers H., Südekum K.H., Nussbaum H., Schwarz F. and Bennett R. (2014). Effect of extent and rate of wilting on nitrogen components of grass silage. Grass Forage Sci. 69, 140-152.

Fisher D., Burns J. and Mayland H. (2005). Ruminant selection among switchgrass hays cut at either sundown or sunup. Crop Sci. 45, 1394-1402.

Fisher D.S., Mayland H.F. and Burns J.C. (2002). Variation in ruminant preference for alfalfa hays cut at sunup and sundown 1. Crop Sci. 42, 231-237.

Getachew G., DePeters E. and Robinson P. (2004). In vitro gas production provides effective method for assessing ruminant feeds. California Agric. 58, 54-58.

Guo G., Yuan X., Wen A., Liu Q., Zhang S. and Shao T. (2015). Silage fermentation characteristics of napiergrass harvested at various times on a sunny day. Crop Sci. 55, 458-464.

Hartinger T., Gresner N. and Sudekum K.H. (2019). Effect of wilting intensity, dry matter content and sugar addition on nitrogen fractions in lucerne silages. Agriculture. 9, 11-28.

Hedge I. and Hofreiter B. (1962). Carboydrate Chemistry 17. Academic Press, New York.

Henry D., Dynes R. and Hulm E. (2000). Carbohydrate content of hays changes with time of cutting and nitrogen applications. Asian-Australasian J. Anim. Sci. 13, 186-192.

Huntington G. and Burns J. (2007). Afternoon harvest increases readily fermentable carbohydrate concentration and voluntary intake of gamagrass and switchgrass baleage by beef steers. J. Anim. Sci. 85, 276-284.

Kagan I.A., Anderson M.L., Kramer K.J., Seman D.H., Lawrence L.M. and Smith S.R. (2020). Seasonal and diurnal variation in water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations of repeatedly defoliated red and white clovers in central kentucky. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 84, 102858.

Kung L. (2018). Silage fermentation and additives. Arch. Latinoam. Prod. Anim. 26, 61-66.

Lee M., Harris L.J., Moorby J.M., Humphreys M., Theodorou M., MacRae J.C. and Scollan N.D. (2002). Rumen metabolism and nitrogen flow to the small intestine in steers offered Lolium perenne containing different levels of water-soluble carbohydrate. Anim. Sci. 74, 587-596.

Makar H. (2004). Recent Advances in the in vitro Gas Method for Evaluation of Nutritional Quality of Feed Resources. FAO Animal Production and Health Series, Rom, Italy.

Makkar H.P. (2005). In vitro gas methods for evaluation of feeds containing phytochemicals. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 123, 291-302.

Mayland H., Mertens D., Taylor T., Burns J., Fisher D., Gregorini P., Ciavarella T., Smith K., Shewmaker G. and Griggs T. (2005). Diurnal changes in forage quality and their effects on animal preference, intake, and performance. Pp. 51-54 in Proc. 35^th California Alfalfa and Forage Symp., Visalia, California, USA.

Menke K., Raab L., Salewski A., Steingass H., Fritz D. and Schneider W. (1979). The estimation of the digestibility and metabolizable energy content of ruminant feedingstuffs from the gas production when they are incubated with rumen liquor in vitro. J. Agric. Sci. 93, 217-222.

Menke K.H. (1988). Estimation of the energetic feed value obtained from chemical analysis and in vitro gas production using rumen fluid. Anim. Res. Dev. 28, 7-55.

Miller L., Moorby J.M., Davies D.R., Humphreys M.O., Scollan N.D., MacRae J.C. and Theodorou M.K. (2001). Increased concentration of water‐soluble carbohydrate in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne): Milk production from late‐lactation dairy cows. Grass Forage Sci. 56, 383-394.

Moorby J.M., Evans R.T., Scollan N.D., MacRae J.C. and Theodorou M.K. (2006). Increased concentration of water‐soluble carbohydrate in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Evaluation in dairy cows in early lactation. Grass Forage Sci. 61, 52-59.

Morin C., Belanger G., Tremblay G.F., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Drapeau R., Michaud R., Berthiaume R. and Allard G. (2011). Diurnal variations of nonstructural carbohydrates and nutritive value in alfalfa. Crop Sci. 51, 1297-1306.

NRC. (2001). Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 7^th Ed. National Academy Press, Washington, DC., USA.

Orr R., Rutter S., Penning P. and Rook A. (2001). Matching grass supply to grazing patterns for dairy cows. Grass Forage Sci. 56, 352-361.

Ørskov E. and McDonald I. (1979). The estimation of protein degradability in the rumen from incubation measurements weighted according to rate of passage. J Agric Sci. 92, 499-503.

Owens V., Albrecht K. and Muck R. (2002). Protein degradation and fermentation characteristics of unwilted red clover and alfalfa silage harvested at various times during the day. Grass Forage Sci. 57, 329-341.

Pagano R.I., Valenti B., De Angelis A., Avondo M. and Pennisi P. (2011). Morning versus afternoon cutting time of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) affects feed intake, milk yield and composition in Girgentana goats. J. Dairy Res. 78, 500-504.

Pelletier S., Tremblay G.F., Belanger G., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Pageau D. and Drapeau R. (2010). Forage nonstructural carbohydrates and nutritive value as affected by time of cutting and species. Agron. J. 102, 1388-1398.

Ruckle M.E., Bernasconi L., Kölliker R., Zeeman S.C. and Studer B. (2018). Genetic diversity of diurnal carbohydrate accumulation in white clover (Trifolium repens). Agronomy. 8, 47-65.

SAS Institute. (2003). SAS^®/STAT Software, Release 9.1. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC. USA.

Sauve A.K., Huntington G.B., Whisnant C.S. and Burns J.C. (2010). Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance of steers fed gamagrass baleage topdressed at two rates of nitrogen and harvested at sunset and sunrise. Crop Sci. 50, 427-437.

Smit H.J., Tamminga S. and Elgersma A. (2006). Dairy cattle grazing preference among six cultivars of perennial ryegrass. Agron. J. 98, 1213-1220.

Taweel H., Tas B., Dijkstra J. and Tamminga S. (2004). Intake regulation and grazing behavior of dairy cows under continuous stocking. J. Dairy Sci. 87, 3417-3427.

Thayumanavan B. and Sadasivam S. (1984). Physicohemical basis for the preferential uses of certain rice varieties. Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 34, 253-259.

Theodorou M.K., Williams B.A., Dhanoa M.S., McAllan A.B. and France J. (1994). A simple gas production method using a pressure transducer to determine the fermentation kinetics of ruminant feeds. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 48, 185-197.

Thomas E., Ballard C., Sayer K. and Norris I. (2002). A.M vs. p.m. harvest of alfalfa as medium-moisture silage. Res. Rep. 2(2), 11-28.

Tremblay G.F., Morin C., Belanger G., Bertrand A., Castonguay Y., Berthiaume R. and Allard G. (2014). Silage fermentation of p.m.‐and a.m.‐cut alfalfa wilted in wide and narrow swaths. Crop Sci. 54, 439-452.

Trevaskis L., Fulkerson W. and Gooden J. (2001). Provision of certain carbohydrate-based supplements to pasture-fed sheep, as well as time of harvesting of the pasture, influences pH, ammonia concentration and microbial protein synthesis in the rumen. Australian J. Exp. Agric. 41, 21-27.

Van Soest P.V., Robertson J. and Lewis B. (1991). Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J. Dairy Sci. 74, 3583-3597.

Yari M., Valizadeh R., Naserian A.A., Jonker A., Azarfar A. and Yu P. (2014). Effects of including alfalfa hay cut in the afternoon or morning at three stages of maturity in high concentrate rations on dairy cows performance, diet digestibility and feeding behavior. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 192, 62-72.

Zheng M., Niu D., Zuo S., Mao P., Meng L. and Xu C. (2018). The effect of cultivar, wilting and storage period on fermentation and the clostridial community of alfalfa silage. Italian J. Anim. Sci. 17, 336-346.