NUTRIENT VALUE OF HAY HARVESTED WITH MECHANICAL STACKING WAGONS, LARGE ROUND BALER AND CONVENTIONAL BALER

Abstract

In 1972, crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, and bromegrass hay were harvested with a Hesston 30 stacking wagon, McKee 1000 stacking wagon, and conventional baler. Crested wheatgrass was stacked at 35 and 29% moisture, intermediate wheatgrass at 38 and 27% moisture, and bromegrass at 41 and 31% moisture. Crested wheatgrass was baled at 23 and 19%, intermediate wheatgrass at 27 and 22%, and bromegrass at 30 and 20% moisture. In 1973, the same grass species were harvested at two moisture levels, 20 and 12% for crested wheatgrass, 25 and 19% for intermediate wheatgrass, and 24 and 20% for bromegrass with a Hesston 10 stacking wagon, Vermeer 605 round baler, and conventional baler. Dry matter intake by lambs and digestibility measurements (in vivo 1972, in vitro 1973) indicated that with the exception of bromegrass harvested in 1972, harvesting machine had little effect on hay quality. In 1972, bromegrass harvested with the stacking wagons was inferior in quality to the baled hay. The effect of moisture level at harvest was dependent on species of grass, harvesting machine, and weather conditions during harvest.