Utilization Of Alfalfa Research Articles

Alfalfa Leaf Powder and its Potential Utilisation in Raw Vegan Chocolate

Utilization of new or unusual sources of nutrients has led to a wider market regarding food product diversity. The utilization of alfalfa in food products leads to an increase in nutrients as proteins, from macro elementary point of view and in polyphenols, chlorophylls, and carotenoids if is to look in the micro elementary system. The present paper proposes the increase of the bioavailability of alfalfa powder by adding in a raw vegan chocolate. Characteristics as total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, FTIR fingerprint, and antimicrobial activity were investigated.

Effect of glycerol in combination with alfalfa on in vitro gas production and microbial protein synthesis

Alfonso-Ávila, Á. R., Charbonneau, E., Lafrenière, C. and Berthiaume, R. 2015. Effect of glycerol in combination with alfalfa on in vitro gas production and microbial protein synthesis. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 577–588. This study sought to determine the effect of added glycerol on microbial protein synthesis, ruminal degradation and utilization of alfalfa at different concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), using in vitro gas production. The 2×3 factorial plus one treatment consisted of oven-dried alfalfa with two NSC levels [high: 17.9 (HNSC) or low: 7.4% dry matter (DM) (LNSC)] and three glycerol treatments [control without glycerol, 15% crude glycerol (CG) and 15% pure glycerol (PG)], the additional treatment was LNSC+exogenous sugars (LNSC+ES: LNSC with 5% sucrose+5% starch). Five pre-planned contrasts were evaluated from the seven treatments: (1) HNSC vs. LNSC alfalfa; (2) with glycerol vs. without; (3) interaction of alfalfa and glycerol; (4) CG vs. PG, and; (5) LNSC+ES vs. HNSC. Gas production over 24 h was higher for HNSC than LNSC (202 vs. 179 mL g−1 DM) and with glycerol than without glycerol (202.2 vs. 168 mL g−1 DM). A decrease in the acetate:propionate ratio was observed for HNSC compared with LNSC (2.87 vs. 3.27) and for the addition of glycerol vs. no glycerol (2.78 vs. 3.65). Reduced microbial mass (185.5 vs. 240.5 mg g−1 DM) was observed for CG compared with PG. The LNSC+ES treatment had lower microbial protein synthesis and propionic acid production in relation to HNSC. No significant interaction was observed between the effect of NSC content of alfalfa and glycerol utilization. When effects were studied separately, results indicate that increasing NSC in alfalfa stimulates the synthesis of microbial protein. Also, the addition of glycerol promotes the synthesis of glucose precursors. Finally, the type of glycerol has an impact on results obtained suggesting caution when extrapolating results for PG to CG.

The utilization of alfalfa that planted at Tobasa highland, North Sumatra for growing Boerka goat feed

Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) is a herbaceus legume which is potential to be used as goat feed for it’s high production and nutritive value. This research was aimed to study the adaptation of alfalfa planted at highland-moderate climate and it’s utilization for goat feed. This research concists of two activities, ie 1) Agronomy of alfalfa that adapted to highland as a goat feed resource, and 2) The alfalfa usage technology as goat feed. On the first activity alfalfa was planted on highland-moderate climate Gurgur, Tobasa District, North Sumatra Province. Data was collected included: growth percentage, morphology and production aspects, and nutritive value. The harvesting was conducted for three times, where the first cutting had done at 100 days after planting. Investigation of morphology characterirtics was done before alfalfa harvesting. The utilization of alfalfa as goat feed was carried out on the second activity which was arranged in a completely randomized design. Twenty male Boer x Kacang crossbred (Boerka) goats of 5-6 months of age with average body weight 14.2±0.8 kg were randomly assigned to four feed treatments where each treatment consited of five replications. The four feed treatments were: P 1 = 100% grass + 0% alfalfa; P 2 = 90% grass + 10% alfalfa, P 3 = 80% grass + 20% alfalfa, and P 4 = 70% grass + 30% alfalfa. Data observation included dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, and income over feed cost. Results showed that alfalfa growth percentage was 65% with good growth and high either production or nutritive value. The average shoot dry matter production was 438.6 g/m 2 which was equivalent to 26.3 t/ha/yr. The crude protein content of alfalfa on the first, second and third harvesting were 17.93; 21.89 and 17.73 per cent, respectively. The utilization of alfalfa that had been processed to be crude-meal can be applied as goat feed. Supplementation of 70% grass and 30% alfalfa meal showed the best results: ADG 59.17 g/d, feed efficiency 0.14, and IOFC Rp 736/h/d. K ey Words : Alfalfa, Herbage, Production, Meal, Feed, Goat

Effects of a Purified Saponin Mixture from Alfalfa on Plasma Lipid Metabolism in Hyperlipidemic Mice

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a genus distributed widely throughout the world and considered as the richest land source of nature products. In this study, we obtained a purified saponin mixture (PSM) through a simple, repeatable and controllable separation method from alfalfa. The compounds of the saponin mixture were identified as Azukisaponin V and Soyasaponin I, which was determined as 79.26 and 20.74% respectively by HPLC-evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) method. The effects of PSM on plasma lipid metabolism were studied in hyperlipidemic mice induced by Triton WR-1339. Results showed that PSM could significantly inhibit the increase of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, and the decrease of plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in plasma of hyperlipidemic mice induced by Triton WR-1339. Further study demonstrated that PSM not only enhanced the activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) in liver, but also increased their mRNA levels in hyperlipidemic mice. The results above indicate that PSM from alfalfa exerts effects on plasma lipid metabolism through elevating the activity of liver lipases in hyperlipidemic mice. The obtained data would be a good contribution to the development and utilization of alfalfa in the world.

Utilization of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) as a Smother Crop in Field Corn (Zea mays L.)

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Jordan to investigate the effects of alfalfa grown as a smother crop on corn and weeds. The two locations were characterized by semi-arid conditions. Treatments were; (1) a mixture of alfalfa-corn with alfalfa clipped once; (2) a mixture of alfalfa-corn with alfalfa clipped twice; (3) a mixture of alfalfa-corn with alfalfa clipped three times; (4) a mixture of alfalfa-corn with alfalfa clipped four times; (5) weed-free corn; (6) weedy corn; (7) weed-free alfalfa; and (8) weedy alfalfa. Results indicated that alfalfa reduced corn grain yield more than total above ground dry biomass. Grain yield reductions ranged from 23 to 53% of amounts harvested in weed-free corn plots. Yields were comparable or greater than amounts harvested from weedy check plots, indicating that alfalfa imposed equivalent or less competition on corn than the prevailing weeds of the two sites. Alfalfa harvested from frequently clipped plots was 48 to 57% of quantities harvested from weed-free alfalfa plots. Effectiveness of alfalfa in suppressing weeds was not obvious and varied between locations and cutting frequencies. Results of these experiments encourage corn producers to replace polyethylene mulches with alfalfa smother crop to maximize their utilization of scarce water resources available for Mediterranean agriculture. Possible economic advantages arise from lowering the initial costs of polyethylene mulches and additional returns from producing a high-quality forage crop, thus compensating for any reductions in corn grain yields.

Simulation to Evaluate Dairy Manure Systems

An existing dairy forage system model (DAFOSYM) was expanded to include submodels for manure production, collection, storage, and application to crop land. The original DAFOSYM simulated the growth, harvest, storage, and utilization of alfalfa and corn on a dairy farm over 25 years of weather. The revision allowed simulation of the quantity and nutrient content of manure produced as a function of feed composition and consumption, milk production, and animal growth. Nutrient losses in manure handling, storage, and application were subtracted to determine nutrients available for crop growth. The facilities, machinery, labor, and fuel required were modeled to determine the costs of manure handling. The integrated model provided a tool for evaluating and comparing the long-term performance and economics of alternative manure systems for dairy farms and their interaction with feed production. Manure systems using long-term storage with spreading, injection, or irrigation have greater direct costs to the farmer than the daily haul system commonly used in the upper midwest. If long-term storage systems are required to protect the environment, the annual net cost of manure handling will increase up to $65/cow for small (60 cow) and $45/cow for large (250 cow) dairy farms.

Potato Leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) Utilization of Alfalfa as a Host: The Role of Non-Host Stimuli

The effect of non-host crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop., on potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), utilization of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., as host was investigated in binary choice experiments that measured oviposition and residency preference of adults. Leafhoppers preferred to oviposit and reside on pure alfalfa over alfalfa mixed with crabgrass. Successive experiments in which crabgrass was presented to leafhoppers with fewer sensory cures (i.e. tactile, gustatory, visual, olfactory) demonstrated that olfactory cues alone from crabgrass may explain the lower preference equally as well as any combination of other cues. Thus, volatile chemicals from crabgrass reduced acceptability of alfalfa for the potato leafhopper, although visual stimuli are not completely excluded. Additional experiments showed that leafhopper density, lighting, and alfalfa density all may influence leafhopper host utilization in laboratory experiments.

Flexible Alfalfa Management: Early Spring Utilization1

Providing low‐cost high quality grazing for livestock early in the spring when pasture and hay are limited may increase body weights at economical prices. Current alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) varieties may be suitable for such grazing if either stands or yields are not greatly reduced by early spring harvests. To evaluate the possibilities of early spring alfalfa grazing, two severities of cutting to simulate grazing were imposed at several spring dates by removing one‐half the leaf area index (LAI) and all the LAI by cutting to a 5‐cm stubble height. Spring utilization dates, based on accumulating 1, 2, 3, and 4 LAI units, occurred on about 9 April, 27 April, 6 May, and 25 May, respectively. During the remainder of the season, harvesting hay at onetenth bloom was considered lenient management for recovery. The 9 April grazing cut, leaving about onehalf the LAI, enhanced the first hay yields as compared with removing nearly all the leaf area. However, at 6 May with an LAI of about 3, leaving one half the leaf area, resulted in lower yields and decreased quality of the following hay harvest as compared with a grazing cut at 5 cm which removed all leaf area. Regrowth from tall stubble remaining after the 6 May grazing cut generally orginated from branches at axillary buds which had smaller stems than those growing from crown buds. Early spring grazing cuts delayed the first hay harvest. This delay is desirable since favorable hay‐making weather is more likely later in the season. Number of regrowth days to one tenth bloom decreased between April and mid‐June and increased thereafter. Regrowth after early August cuts did not flower due to short days of late summer.Total season yields were similar for all treatments. Residual yields in subsequent years showed no detrimental effects due to date or severity of spring grazing cuts. Utilization of alfalfa in early srping by grazing and taking the first hay harvest about 3 weeks later than normal appears to be a feasible alternative system for flexible alfalfa management.

Influence of Saponins on Alfalfa Utilization by Rats, Rabbits and Swine

Influence of Saponins on Alfalfa Utilization by Rats, Rabbits and Swine

Influence of Pelleting on the Utilization of Alfalfa

Influence of Pelleting on the Utilization of Alfalfa

Further Studies on the Utilization of Alfalfa by Beef Steers

Two experiments were conducted with beef steers in a study of methods used in the utilization of alfalfa; namely, 5 to 7-day rotational grazing, 1-day rotational grazing, strip grazing, haying and soiling. In one experiment, forage consumption was measured through the use of fecal collections and forage digestibility determined from the chromogen concentration in the feces. Average daily gain for the steers fed green forage in the form of pasture and soilage was the same, while there was a significant decrease in daily gain when the animals were fed alfalfa in the form of hay. In one experiment, the amounts of beef produced per acre expressed as percentages of that produced by the soilage was 77, 79, and 85 for 7-day rotational grazing, 1-day rotational grazing, and haying, respectively, while in the other experiment these were 64, 68, and 79 for 5-day rotational grazing, strip grazing, and haying, respectively. The amount of forage consumed by the steers on pasture was considerably less than that consumed by the steers fed soilage but was of a much higher nutritive value because of selective grazing. Dry matter consumption by the steers fed hay was greater than that of the steers fed soilage and pasture.

The Utilization of Alfalfa and Alfalfa Fiber Fractions by Growing Rats

The Utilization of Alfalfa and Alfalfa Fiber Fractions by Growing Rats