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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #65960
Title: 'MAT' HARVESTING OF FORAGES - INTENSIVE CONDITIONING TO INCREASE FEEDING VALUE

Author
item Koegel, Richard
item STRAUB, RICHARD - UNIV OF WISCONSIN

Submitted to: California Alfalfa Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Intensive or severe conditioning of forage crops (sometimes called "maceration") greatly reduces the field-drying time required to reach moisture levels suitable for harvesting as hay or as silage. In addition, severely conditioning alfalfa has been shown to increase alfalfa digestibility by 10% or more. Because of the many small fragments resulting from intensive conditioning, the forage has been pressed into a continuous cohesive strip called a "forage mat". Prototype machines which (1) mow, (2) macerate, (3) form "mats" and (4) place them on the stubble have been built by research and development groups.