Author
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Koegel, Richard |
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Kraus, Timothy |
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STRAUB, RICHARD - UNIV OF WISCONSIN-MADISON |
Submitted to: Washington State Hay Growers Annual Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/1996 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. |