Abstract
Alfalfa is an important source of inexpensive forage for poultry that has high nutritional and digestive value. Alfalfa can be dried to produce hay, although the drying method can affect the quality of the hay as forage. In this study we examined how drying methods affect the physical quality and chemical composition of hay produced from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Harvested alfalfa plants were dried by direct sun exposure (P1), under a tarp in a greenhouse (P2), or in an oven at 55°C (P3). The physical and chemical characteristics of the hays were analyzed and differences among the three treatment groups were analyzed with ANOVA followed by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Samples dried under direct sunlight (P1) had reduced crude fat content and increased crude fiber content compared to the other treatments. However, the physical and chemical characteristics of hay produced by all three treatments were within recommended ranges for quality forage. Furthermore, the heat associated with oven-drying did not affect the amino acid content of the resulting hay. Taken together, hay can be rapidly produced by oven-drying to produce an economical alternative source of protein that is comparable to that in corn, soybean and fish meals.
Highlights
The availability of adequate amounts of good quality feed is critical for successful animal husbandry at both small and large scales
The nutritional value of crude fiber for P1, P2 and P3 was inversely proportional to that of Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) and Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE). This result is consistent with that of Sari et al (2015), who showed that decreases in crude fiber content of feed material are associated with increased NFE content
Based on the measured amino acid content, these results indicate that alfalfa can be a suitable alternative for other feed materials that provide necessary amounts of several amino acids for poultry including corn meal, soybean meal and fish meal
Summary
The availability of adequate amounts of good quality feed is critical for successful animal husbandry at both small and large scales. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a type of Leguminosae that is highly nutritional and has a high protein content (Suwignyo et al, 2016; Taghizadeh, et al, 2008). Medicago sativa is a leguminous plant that has been grown for a variety of purposes such as medicinal uses, a suitable foliage and animal feed (Ehsanpour and Razavizadeh, 2005). Alfalfa is used across the world as an important source of inexpensive forage that has both high nutritional and digestive value. Based on these characteristics, alfalfa is often referred to as the “Queen of Forage Crops” (Small, 2011). Alfalfa has high digestibility and dry and organic matter content
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