ADOPT Final Report-Project #20100210 Project Identification

1. Project Title: Baling Alfalfa: Comparing Leaf Shatter Loss to Heat Damage 2. Project Number: 20100210 3. Producer Group Sponsoring the Project: Saskatchewan Forage Council (SFC) 4. Project Location(s):

Loverna – Gordon Berry

Denzil –Byron and Michelle Clarke

Weyburn Site One-Ell Nell Farms (Darren Haupstein)

Weyburn Site Two –Harvey Johnson 5. Project start and end dates: July 2010 to April 2013 6. Project contact person and contact details:

Leanne Thompson, Executive Director Saskatchewan Forage Council PO Box 87, Ceylon SK S0C 0T0 p. 306.969.2666 e. office@saskforage.ca

__________________________________________________________________________________

Objectives and Rationale

7. Project Objectives

This project was intended to demonstrate the changes in feed quality that occur when baling alfalfa at various moisture levels. By measuring moisture content at twine wrapping and resultant feed quality after storage of hay, this demonstration provided important information to assist producers in deciding the optimal time to bale alfalfa in order to maximize preservation of both quantity and quality of feed.

8. Project Rationale When producers bale alfalfa hay, some will stop baling during the hot and dry part of the day because leaf shatter loss during twine wrapping appears excessive. They will then resume baling in the early evening and into the night as the humidity increases. A common mistake made is continuing to bale after the moisture content becomes excessive, resulting in feed quality loss in the bale from mold and carmelization. This project will assist producers in deciding when and when not to bale throughout the day. It will help producers minimize hay loss when baling, and hay quality loss during storage.

Methodology and Results

9. Methodology Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Forage Specialists Lorne Klein and John Hauer acted as site supervisors for the producer demonstration sites involved in this project. At each of the four demonstration sites, four treatments were applied to alfalfa hay at baling. Baling was done starting

during the hottest and driest part of the day and progressing into the night as moisture levels rose. Where moisture conditions allowed, treatments included:

1. Alfalfa hay baled at 16% moisture (4 bales per demonstration) 2. Alfalfa hay baled at 20 % moisture (4 bales per demonstration) 3. Alfalfa hay baled at 24% moisture (4 bales per demonstration) 4. Alfalfa hay baled at 28% moisture (4 bales per demonstration)

Immediately following baling each bale was probed to measure moisture content, tagged and labelled to be identified in the future. Leaf loss was collected following baling, weighed and documented by photographs as well as sampled and sent to the lab for forage quality analysis. Core samples of the bales were taken and analyzed for forage quality following baling. Approximately 60 days after baling, core samples were taken again and sent for feed analysis. Bales were opened for visual inspection at this time as well. The table below outlines the timing of baling and sampling activities for all sites. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Forage Harvesting Activity 2011/2012

Site Forage Type Cutting Date Baling Date First Sample Date

Second Sample Date

Loverna (cwg/alfalfa)

Crested wheat/alfalfa

Jul 15/2011 July 25/2011 July 25/2011 -

Loverna (alfalfa)

100% alfalfa July 15/2011 Aug 22/2011 Aug 22/2011 -

Denzil 2011 Meadow brome/alfalfa

July 28/2011 Aug 3/2011 Aug 3/2011 -

Denzil 2012 Meadow brome/alfalfa

Aug 18/2012 Aug 23/2012 Aug 23/2012 Dec 18/2012

Weyburn One 100% Alfalfa Second cut

Sept 1/2011 Sept 6/2011 Sept 6/2011 Dec 23/2011

Weyburn Two 100% Alfalfa First cut

July 15/2011 July 22/2011 July 22/2011 Dec 23/2011

Photographs of the various treatments and results are included in Appendix A. Due to moisture and environmental conditions, not all sites were able to produce bales representing all of the four desired moisture levels. The treatments at each site are listed in the table below:

ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Treatments Listed by Site 2011/2012

Treatment Moisture Content

Number of Bales Time of Day

Loverna crested wheatgrass/alfalfa

Very Dry 14.5% or less 4 Afternoon

Dry 16% 2 Late evening

Loverna 100% alfalfa

Very Dry 10-12% 1 Afternoon

Very Dry 14.5% 1 Late evening

Denzil 2011

Very Dry 14.5% 3 Evening - morning

Denzil 2012

Very Dry 9% 2 Afternoon

Dry 14% or more 4 Late evening

Tough 22% 2 Early morning

Weyburn Site One

Very Dry 14.5% or less 4 Mid-afternoon

Intermediate 20-40% 4 Night

Tough 35-45% 4 Early morning

Weyburn Site Two

Very Dry 14.5% or less 4 Mid-afternoon

Dry 14.5-15% 4 Night

Tough 25-40% 4 Early morning

Final Results Loverna, Saskatchewan-Gordon Berry Two locations were used to make bales for the demonstration in 2011 at the Loverna site. Baling was done first at the Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) site on July 25, 2011. This hay field was a Crested wheatgrass/alfalfa mix and the hay had been subject to over an inch of rain while in the swath prior to baling. On the day it was baled, the weather was 28°C with a light breeze and although baling was done from early afternoon until late into the night, the hay remained dry and the cooperator was unable to make bales testing higher than 16% moisture. Another field of 100% alfalfa (alfalfa site) was selected and baling was done on August 22, 2011. Conditions were hot and dry during baling and again the cooperator was only able to bale in the range of 10-14.5% moisture at this site. Leaf piles were collected and weighed at both fields to determine leaf loss for each treatment. Leaf loss samples as well as bale core samples taken at time of baling were sent for forage quality analysis. Due to the minimal variation in moisture levels of the hay at the Loverna site, it was determined that sampling would not be done 60 days post-harvest. The weights recorded for leaf loss at the Loverna demonstration are listed in the table below. All bales at the Loverna site showed some leaf loss; however the very dry bales lost significantly more leaves than the hay baled at 16% moisture, particularly at the alfalfa site where the hay tested 10% to 14.5% moisture at baling. The bales at this demonstration were approximately 550 kg (1200 lbs) on average. The 23.15 kg of leaf loss recorded at the alfalfa site represents over 4% of the total bale weight, a significant loss of important nutrients. Not recorded during this demonstration, but important

to consider is the degree of additional leaf loss that is likely to have occurred while transporting the hay and during feeding. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Loverna Site Leaf Loss 2011

Site Number of Bales Moisture Content of Hay Average Leaf Loss Per Bale (kg)

Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) 4 Very dry (14.5% or less) 1.164

Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) 2 Dry (16%) 0.332

Loverna (alfalfa) 2 Very dry (14.5% or less) 23.15

The table below illustrates the variations in forage quality from the leaf pile and bale core samples at the Loverna sites, reported on a dry matter basis. Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) site samples are classified as “very dry” for the bales averaging 14.5% moisture or less at baling and “dry” for the bales averaging 16% moisture at baling. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Loverna Site Feed Analysis Results 2011

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Loverna Site (Crested wheatgrass/alfalfa hay) Very Dry Bale Core

7.34 11.38 41.37 57.99 57.50 2.53

Very Dry Leaf Pile

8.66 17.15 33.79 53.05 61.28 2.70

Dry Bale Core 10.56 10.34 38.37 61.07 59.00 2.60 Dry Leaf Pile 9.18 20.83 35.26 50.71 60.55 2.66

Loverna Site (100% Alfalfa) Very Dry Bale Core

7.17 12.51 44.82 54.02 55.77 2.45

Very Dry Leaf Pile

7.82 16.66 35.62 44.83 60.37 2.66

Both fields at the Loverna demonstration give a clear indication that undesirable leaf loss is occurring when hay is baled under dry conditions. Nutrient analysis from the leaf piles indicate that this fraction is generally higher in protein, lower in fibre and represent a loss in energy when compared to the whole fraction (bale core samples). The variation in crude protein levels between the bale core and leaf pile was most extreme for the dry samples, however the actual weight of leaves lost was much less (0.332 kg on average) for the dry samples as compared to the very dry samples. Variation in crude protein between the bale core samples and leaf piles was more extreme in the crested wheatgrass/alfalfa mixed forage than in the pure alfalfa stand at the Loverna demonstration. Denzil, Saskatchewan-Byron and Michelle Clarke Baling was done at the Denzil site in early August of 2011, where a field comprised of 60% meadow brome/40% alfalfa mix was used for the demonstration. The hay crop was very short and the conditions were hot and dry at baling (25-27°C). Bales were made during the evening of August 2, 2011 and morning of August 3, 2011. The cooperator was unable to produce any bales with the high moisture

content desired for the demonstration (late evening bales tested 12-14% moisture and morning and morning and afternoon bales tested 14.5% moisture at baling). With the absence of high-moisture hay for comparison, the supervisor decided to postpone the Denzil demonstration until 2012, when another attempt was made to bale hay under varying moisture conditions. On August 23, 2012, the cooperator at the Denzil demonstration was able to bale hay at three moisture levels: very dry (9%); dry (14%) and tough (22%). Leaf loss was measured at baling and samples were taken of both the leaf piles and bale cores for forage quality analysis. Bales were then sampled using a probe in December 2012 on the very dry and tough bales in order to note any changes in quality during bale storage. Wildlife feeding on bales as well as large quantities of snow and rain in fall and winter caused damage to many bales stored at the cooperators bale yard and as a result, the site supervisor could not locate the dry bales for testing in December. Leaf loss from the 2012 demonstration at Denzil is listed in the table below. The very dry bales showed the largest amount of leaf shatter loss, at over 7 kg per bale or approximately 1.5% of the total bale weight on average (680 kg/1500 pound bales). Some leaf loss was seen on the dry hay as well, and the tough hay resulted in less than 1 kg of leaf loss per bale on average. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Denzil Site Leaf Loss 2012

Site Number of Bales Moisture Content of Hay Average Leaf Loss Per Bale (kg)

Denzil 2 Very dry (9%) 7.267

Denzil 4 Dry (14%) 2.682

Denzil 2 Tough (22%) 0.621

Results of the 2012 feed analysis for the forage at the Denzil site are listed in the table below. Neutral detergent fibre results are not available for this site. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Denzil Site Feed Analysis Results 2012

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Denzil Site-Results from August 2012 (at time of baling) Very Dry Bale Core

9.91 17.48 40.30 - 58.03 2.55

Very Dry Leaf Pile

7.34 20.95 34.56 - 60.90 2.68

Dry Bale Core 12.11 16.19 40.36 - 58.00 2.55 Dry Leaf Pile 7.66 19.57 32.63 - 61.87 2.72 Tough Bale Core

14.26 17.14 37.03 - 59.67 2.63

Tough Leaf Pile

6.91 20.21 31.84 - 62.26 2.74

Denzil Site-Results from December 2012 (after storage) Very Dry Bale Core

22.66 17.81 40.73 - 57.81 2.54

Tough Bale Core

22.59 17.05 42.56 - 56.90 2.50

All samples at the Denzil site demonstrate the differences in quality between the leaves that are lost and the bale core samples. The leaf pile fractions were consistently higher in digestible energy and crude protein as well as lower in fibre and therefore an important nutritional component of the forage. As an example, crude protein was 3.47%, 3.38% and 3.07% higher in the leaf piles than in the very dry, dry and tough bale core samples respectively. The greatest crude protein variation between leaf pile and bale core was observed in the very dry sample; however the dry bale core sample was lowest in crude protein overall. Moisture levels of both the very dry and tough core samples taken in December had increased more than 10% over the core samples taken from the same bales at the time of baling. During the fall season, the cooperator noted that this region received over one inch of rain as well as a large amount of snowfall, which likely caused this increase in moisture. Bales were also damaged by deer feeding on the hay exposing the bales to further weathering. In both treatments, acid detergent fibre levels increased while total digestible nutrients decreased somewhat. The very dry treatment showed a slight increase in crude protein after storage (0.33%), while the tough treatment showed a slight decrease in crude protein after storage (0.09%). These variations may indicate some changes in forage quality during storage, but may also be the result of variation in composition of the samples. However, overall, both the very dry and the tough treatment showed on overall decreased in TDN during the storage period. Bales were opened and fed in December after samples were taken with a bale probe. Upon visual examination of the bales, they appeared green and there was not a great deal of spoilage observed in spite of the high moisture content at testing. Weyburn Site One-Ell Nell Farms (Darren Haupstein) At Weyburn Site One, a field of second-cut 100% alfalfa was used for the demonstration. The hay field was cut on September 1, 2011 and was baled on September 6 and 7, 2011. The weather conditions for haying were hot and very dry (25°C) during the afternoon, but turned humid and wet through the night and into the early morning hours. Four, 680 kg (1500 lbs) bales were made for each of the following three moisture treatments: very dry (14.5% moisture or less); intermediate (20-40% moisture) and tough (35-45% moisture). Leaf loss was collected and weighed for each treatment and the average for each treatment is reported in the table below: ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site One Leaf Loss 2011

Site Number of Bales Moisture Content of Hay Average Leaf Loss Per Bale (kg)

Weyburn One 4 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 21

Weyburn One 4 Intermediate (20-40%) 3

Weyburn One 4 Tough (35-45% or less) 0

The Weyburn Site One leaf loss was much greater for the very dry treatment than for the intermediate treatment, with the tough treatment exhibiting virtually no leaf loss at all. The supervisor noted that the leaf piles for the dry bales did not appear much larger than those for the intermediate bales, however upon closer examination the leaves on the dry bales were brittle and had become almost like powder, making the pile much denser and heavier than for the intermediate treatment. The intermediate moisture content bales created leaf piles that were physically larger, but the leaves were intact and with more air spaces the piles were actually less dense. Samples were taken both from the forage in swaths just prior to baling as well as from the leaf piles for the very dry and intermediate bales post-baling,

allowing for comparison of the entire forage crops versus the leaves lost during baling. The results listed below are averages for four samples taken of the crop prior to harvesting and two samples of each moisture treatment. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site One Feed Analysis Results Post-Baling 2011

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Swaths Prior to Baling

5.92 17.10 34.50 48.03 60.93 2.68

Very Dry Leaf Piles

7.52 22.95 28.59 42.91 63.89 2.82

Intermediate Leaf Piles

7.12 22.53 27.99 41.87 64.19 2.83

Weyburn Site One results reveal the nutritional quality of the leaf piles that was lost when baling hay at low moisture levels. The leaf pile samples were over 5% higher in crude protein and were also higher in total digestible nutrients (TDN) and digestible energy than the intact forage in the swath. ADF and NDF levels were lower for the leaf piles, meaning that the more digestible leaves are being lost, while the less digestible portion (stems) are remaining in the baled forage. Although the forage quality of the leaf piles was similar for the very dry and intermediate treatments, the actual amount of loss was substantially higher (18 kg more loss per bale on average) for the very dry hay. In order to understand if there is an advantage to putting up hay under higher moisture levels, this demonstration also involved sampling and inspecting the bales after they had been stored for at least 60 days. Forage samples from Weyburn Site One were taken on December 12, 2011 and the results from the three moisture treatments are recorded in the table below. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site One Feed Analysis Results Post-Storage 2011

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Very Dry Bale 9.42 12.04 50.62 64.14 52.87 2.33 Intermediate Bale

10.29 14.12 46.90 60.18 54.73 2.41

Tough Bale 10.10 16.1 47.76 59.53 54.30 2.39

Forage test results from December after approximately 90 days of storage show lower crude protein, digestible energy and TDN values as well as slightly higher fibre levels, indicating that forage quality appears to have diminished somewhat during storage. The very dry bales showed lower crude protein, higher fiber (ADF and NDF) and lower TDN than the intermediate and tough bales which was an expected result due to the largest leaf loss for this treatment. Although these forage quality results may indicate that the tough bale samples are the best quality, further testing and/or visual inspection needs to be considered to identify if heat damage and or mold has occurred due to the high moisture of these bales. The visual observations noted below for the three treatments seem to indicate that heating and/or mold was likely a problem in the tough bales.

The site supervisor noted the odor, colour, and general appearance of the hay for each treatment: 1. Very dry hay: very noticeable leaf detachment from stems and shattering of leafs inside the bale 2. Intermediate hay: excellent leaf attachment to stems, leaves intact, excellent green colour 3. Tough hay: noticeable discolouring, especially closer to core of bale, outside flat edge of bale

was somewhat green, noticeable moldy smell Weyburn Site Two-Harvey Johnson Site Two in Weyburn consisted of a stand of 100% first-cut alfalfa, cut on July 15, 2011 and baled on July 21/22, 2011. The bales at this site averaged 635 kg (1400 lbs.) and the weather was very hot (30°C) and sunny during haying. For the purposes of this demonstration, baling began at 8:00 AM on July 21, 2011 (intermediate samples) and continued through to 6:00 AM on July 22, 2011 (tough samples). The very dry samples were taken at 2:00 PM on July 22, 2011. Four bales were made for each of the following treatments: very dry (14.5% moisture or less), dry (14.5-15% moisture) and tough (25-40% moisture). The leaf loss results as recorded at time of baling are listed in the table below. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site Two Leaf Loss 2011

Site Number of Bales Moisture Content of Hay Average Leaf Loss Per Bale (kg)

Weyburn Two 4 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 7

Weyburn Two 4 Dry (14.5-15%) 0

Weyburn Two 4 Tough (25-40% or less) 0

The Weyburn Site Two demonstration resulted in some leaf loss for the very dry treatment, with leaf loss being reported as “negligible” for the dry treatment and “none” for the tough treatment. At 6:00 AM when the tough treatments were taken, the supervisor reported that the leaves and surfaces of the stems felt wet but that the stems still snapped when bent. Samples were taken from the swathed hay just prior to baling as well as from the leaf piles on the very dry treatment bales. The averaged results for the four samples from the swaths and the leaf piles on the four very dry treatment bales are listed in the table below. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site Two Feed Analysis Results Post-Baling 2011

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Swaths Prior to Baling

5.76 15.89 35.90 48.29 60.23 2.65

Very Dry Leaf Piles

6.35 13.49 44.38 57.98 56.00 2.47

In this demonstration, the samples from the leaf piles did not exhibit higher quality forage than the intact crop samples taken from the swaths. This was an unexpected result. There was a great deal of variation in the samples and this may have contributed to these unexpected results. For example, the samples taken from the swaths ranged from 14.66 to 17.27% crude protein and the leaf pile samples ranged from 10.32 to 16.65% crude protein.

On August 12, 2011 the supervisor inspected the baled forage and noted temperature and moisture condition of the bales. No smell was noted and none of the bales appeared to be heating at this date. The tough bales were tested with a probe and the moisture reading registered 25-40% moisture content. Hay from the three moisture treatments was sampled on November 17, 2011 and sent for analysis. The results table below lists the forage quality for each treatment after four months of storage. ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Weyburn Site Two Feed Analysis Results Post-Storage 2011

Sample

Moisture (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Total Digestible Nutrients

(%)

Digestible Energy

(Mcal/kg)

Very Dry Bale 9.41 12.21 49.43 61.88 53.47 2.35 Dry Bale 9.15 12.89 44.66 56.91 55.85 2.46 Tough Bale 9.58 14.56 45.76 58.90 55.30 2.43

Crude protein, TDN and digestible energy levels all decreased during storage at the Weyburn Site Two demonstration. ADF and NDF levels showed an increase at this site as well, indicating a reduction in feed quality during storage. The tough bale samples had higher crude protein, TDN, and energy levels than the very dry bale samples as well as lower fibre levels. The dry moisture treatment showed forage quality results intermediate to the very dry and tough samples. Based on feed analysis alone the tough bales appear to be a higher-quality feed than the dry bales. The leaf loss that occurred when baling the dry treatment may therefore have had a notable impact on ultimate forage quality as compared to the intermediate and tough treatments. Upon visual inspection, the site supervisor noted that both the very dry and dry treatment bales had good green colour and smell while the high moisture treatment bales were noticeably discoloured and had a moldy smell. The results from this demonstration are a reminder that forage analysis results should be considered along with a visual inspection of the bales to gain a better understanding of forage quality as a whole Leaf loss results for all demonstrations are summarized in the table below. Where moisture testers could not register moisture levels below 14.5%, the supervisor estimated whether the hay would be classified as very dry (under 14%) or dry (14% or higher). This judgement was based on past experience and visual examination of the hay during the baling process. On average, the very dry hay leaf loss piles weighed 11.9 kg per bale, the dry and intermediate hay leaf loss was 1.5 kg per bale and the tough hay lost 0.2 kg per bale. Leaf loss measurements were based only on weighing of material lost at the time bales were made. Additional losses could be expected during transport and feeding of these bales.

ADOPT Alfalfa Baling Project Leaf Loss 2011/2012

Site Number of Bales Moisture Content of Hay Average Leaf Loss Per Bale (kg)

Loverna Site (cwg/alfalfa)

4 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 1.16

Loverna Site (cwg/alfalfa)

2 Dry (16%) 0.33

Loverna Site (alfalfa) 2 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 23.15

Denzil 2012 2 Very Dry (9%) 7.27

Denzil 2012 4 Dry (14%) 2.68

Denzil 2012 2 Tough (22%) 0.62

Weyburn One 4 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 21

Weyburn One 4 Intermediate (20-40%) 3

Weyburn One 4 Tough (35-45%) 0

Weyburn Two 4 Very Dry (14.5% or less) 7

Weyburn Two 4 Dry (14.5-15%) 0

Weyburn Two 4 Tough (25-40% or less) 0

Discussion In general for all demonstrations, the amount of leaf loss was greater in hay baled at 14.5% or lower moisture content than when baling hay of higher moisture content. In this demonstration, when moisture content was below 20% at time of baling, there was some occurrence of leaf loss while little to no leaf loss was noted with hay baled at above 20% moisture. The leaf loss piles were generally higher in forage quality than compared to core samples of bales produced at each demonstration, or swathed hay prior to baling. The only exception was at the Weyburn Site Two, where the very dry shatter pile was lower in forage quality than the samples taken from the swath prior to baling. At this demonstration there was, however a notable variation in the forage analysis results from different samples taken and may have contributed to this unexpected result. The average total weight of leaf loss per bale for the very dry hay was 11.9 kg per bale, demonstrating that the very dry hay lost over 10 kg more material than the dry, intermediate or tough hay on average. When baling at higher moisture levels, heating and spoilage of stored forage becomes the concern rather than leaf loss. At both Weyburn demonstrations, the highest moisture bales displayed higher levels of crude protein than both the intermediate moisture and very dry bales after storage. Greater leaf loss in the drier bales may help to explain this result. The tough bales also showed higher TDN and digestible energy levels than the very dry hay but were lower for both these nutritional factors than the intermediate hay. One factor that was not evidenced by the forage testing was the presence of mold and spoilage that took place during storage of the high moisture (tough) hay. Upon visual inspection of the high moisture hay, discolouration, mold and a noticeable “off” smell was detected. This mold and spoilage was more noticeable at the Weyburn Sites One and Two demonstrations than at the Denzil site, likely because the Denzil hay was put up at lower moisture content (Denzil 22% Weyburn Site One 35-45% and Weyburn Site Two 25-40%). Although the amount of loss through spoilage was not quantified in this demonstration, it is an important factor for producers to consider, particularly if purchasing forage.

Although the feed test results looked promising for the high moisture bales, visual inspection of the hay was also critical to provide a more complete picture of the actual product. Extension/Promotion Activities The following extension activities were completed to communicate results and raise awareness of this demonstration:

Signs placed at each of the sites.

Data from this demonstration was shared at two producer-focused roundtable events in late January by Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Forage Specialist John Hauer. Due to inclement weather, attendance was poor and only two producers attended these events.

Presentation of data from this demonstration was presented by Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Forage Specialist John Hauer in the series of producer workshops “The Cutting Edge in Forage Management: Bringing Research to the Farm” in North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Yorkton from March 12-14, 2013. Total attendance for these three workshops was approximately 135 people.

Information regarding this project will be highlighted on the Saskatchewan Forage Council website (average of 1500+ hits per month) and the information will be included in upcoming editions of the SFC Forage and Livestock eNews as well as other Saskatchewan Forage Council publications.

10. Conclusions and Recommendations This project successfully demonstrated the extent of loss, both in terms of volume and quality that can occur when baling alfalfa forage. Leaf loss for dry or very dry forage averaged 8.9 kg per bale at the demonstration sites in 2011 and 2012, and was appreciably higher as the moisture level dropped from dry (14-16%) to very dry (less than 14.5%). Leaf loss did not occur, or was negligible for hay baled at moisture levels over 16% at time of baling. Forage quality for the dry or very dry forage after bales had been stored for at least 60 days was poorer than both the intermediate and high moisture content bales at the two Weyburn sites in terms of crude protein, TDN, fibre and digestible energy. At the Denzil site, the very dry hay was the superior feed based on forage analysis after storage. Dry leaf loss pile samples were of higher forage quality than the core samples taken post-baling from the dry bales, indicating that the leaf loss represented the loss of an important component of the forage in terms of nutritional value. These results indicate that producers must be cognisant of moisture levels of hay when baling to avoid substantial losses of both quality and quantity of forage once conditions become too dry. In addition to leaf loss with bales made under dry conditions, this project looked at potential nutritional losses to forage baled under high moisture conditions. Based on forage sample results for protein, TDN and energy levels, baling under high moisture conditions seemed to produce higher-quality feed than hay baled with less than 15% moisture. However, when combined with visual inspection, the presence of mold, an “off” smell and spoilage was evident in the high moisture bales. These results are a reminder that producers should be cautious about purchasing forage based only on feed test results, and always consider visual inspection of the forage. The intermediate or “ideal” moisture-content forage was generally intermediate in quality to the dry and high-moisture content hay based on forage test results. Also, upon inspection, the intermediate forage was visually appealing and green in colour and leaf loss was minimal for these bales. While it is

not always feasible to bale under these ideal condition, the resulting feed is certainly preferable to hay baled under very dry conditions or hay baled under high moisture conditions. The series of producer-focused workshops entitled “The Cutting Edge in Forage Management: Bringing Research to the Farm” held in March of 2013 provided an effective means to communicate the demonstration results from this project to producers throughout the province. Results of this demonstration will also be highlighted on the Saskatchewan Forage Council (SFC) website and in other SFC publications. Supporting Information

11. Acknowledgements The Ministry’s support for the project was acknowledged on signage displayed at each site and in all communication/extension materials. Industry/co-operator support has also been recognized in all communication/extension materials. In-kind support was provided by Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Regional Forage Specialists to oversee these demonstration sites.

12. Appendices Appendix A – Site Photos Appendix B – Project Extension Activities

Abstract

13. Abstract Under the ADOPT program, the Saskatchewan Forage Council received funding to demonstrate the effects of baling alfalfa and mixed grass/alfalfa hay at varying moisture levels. Leaf loss resulting from baling dry forage and spoilage caused by baling hay at high moisture content were observed at baling and again at least 60 days post-baling on four Saskatchewan farms. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Forage Specialists worked with four producer cooperators to bale hay under differing moisture treatments in order to demonstrate the effects of baling under less than ideal moisture conditions. The highest levels of leaf loss were observed in hay baled at 14% or less moisture, with the average loss measuring 11.9 kg per bale. Forage quality analysis also revealed lower crude protein, TDN and digestible energy values as well as higher fibre content for bales in the very dry (less than 14% moisture) and dry (less than 16%) treatment groups as compared to hay baled at intermediate or high moisture content. Based solely on leaf loss and forage quality analysis this demonstration may have indicated that baling alfalfa at high (22% or higher) moisture content may be beneficial, however visual examination of the bales post-storage revealed mold, discolouration and spoilage in the high moisture hay. Baling at intermediate moisture (14-16%) produced the most desirable result based on a combination of forage quality, visual observation and leaf loss. The series of producer-focused workshops entitled “The Cutting Edge in Forage Management: Bringing Research to the Farm” held in March of 2013 provided an effective means to communicate the demonstration results from this project to producers throughout the province, with 135 producers in attendance in Yorkton, Moose Jaw and North Battleford. These demonstrations provided producers with a practical look at the potentially damaging results in terms of both forage quality and quantity due to baling hay under less than ideal moisture conditions.

Finances

14. Expenditure Statement

Actual Expenses($)

Total Budgeted($)

Salaries and Benefits

Students

Postdoctoral / Research Associates

Technical / Professional Assistants $1050.00 $1050

Consultant Fees & Contractual Services $1344.00 $1344

Rental Costs

Rentals

Materials / Supplies $1187.36 $3200

Project Travel

Field Work

Collaborations/consultations $0.00 $380

Other

Field Day $1000.00 $1000

Administration $229.07 $349

Miscellaneous

Total $4810.43 $7323

Salaries – SFC personnel to co-ordinate with project co-operators and prepare reports and communication materials Contractual services – compensate producers for hay made in sub-optimal conditions (very dry or too wet) Materials/Supplies – forage analysis by lab and shipping of samples to lab Project travel – not required Field Day –presentations provided at “Cutting Edge” workshops in Moose Jaw and North Battleford Administration – project management and financial administration The Saskatchewan Forage Council was able to complete this project on time, meeting the objectives set out, under the original budget. This was largely due to the fact that the number of forage samples was less than anticipated (due to the absence of leaf loss pile samples in some locations).

Appendix A- Site Photos

Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) site at baling July 25, 2011

Leaf loss on dry hay (16%) averaged 0.332 kg per bale

Loverna (cwg/alfalfa) site at baling July 25, 2011

Leaf loss on very dry hay (14.5% or less) averaged

1.164 kg per bale

Loverna 100% alfalfa site at baling August 22, 2011

Leaf loss on very dry hay (14.5% or less) averaged

23.15 kg per bale

Denzil site at baling August 3, 2011

Only very dry hay was baled and project postponed until 2012

Denzil Site at baling August 23, 2012

Leaf loss for very dry hay was 7.267 kg per bale on average

Denzil Site at baling August 23, 2012

Leaf loss for dry hay was 2.682

kg per bale on average

Denzil Site at baling August 23, 2012

Leaf loss for tough hay was

0.621 kg per bale on average

Denzil site bales were sampled with a bale probe

in December 2012 for forage quality analysis

Weyburn Site One very dry hay at baling September 6, 2011

Leaf loss of 19 kg pictured above. Average leaf loss for very dry hay at

this site was 21 kg.

Weyburn Site One very dry hay in December 2011. Noticeable leaf

detachment was observed.

Weyburn Site One very dry hay at baling September 6, 2011 raked to show total leaf

loss. Leaf loss pile was very dense and consisted almost entirely of leaf material.

Weyburn Site One at baling September 6, 2011. Leaf loss of 4.5 kg

pictured above. Leaf loss for intermediate hay averaged 3 kg per bale

Weyburn Site One intermediate hay December 2011

Weyburn Site One intermediate moisture content hay at baling

September 6, 2011 raked to show total leaf loss. Leaf loss pile was

much less dense than very dry hay.

Weyburn Site One at baling September 6, 2011

Leaf loss for tough hay was negligible

Weyburn Site One tough hay December 2011

Weyburn Site One tough moisture hay at baling September 6, 2011

raked to show total leaf loss. Loss consisted of mainly stems and very

little leaf material.

Appendix B- Project Extension Activities

“The Cutting Edge in Forage Management: Bringing Research to the Farm” in North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Yorkton from March 12-14, 2013 (Presentation by John Hauer – Saskatchewan Ministry of

Agriculture. Slide shown below)