Session: Forages and Pastures II

181 - Effect of Application Rate of Sodium Lignosulfonate and Propionic Acid on DM Losses, Nutritional Composition, and Fungal Counts of High Moisture Alfalfa Hay Mini Bales

Saturday, July 17, 2021

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM EST

Location: Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), M109 & 110

Presenting Author(s)

Marjorie A. Killerby

Graduate Research Assistant
Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine
Orono, Maine

PDF Slides and Audio

Author(s)

GO

Godloves M. Oppong

Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine
Orono, Maine
SA

Saulo T. Almeida

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Lavras
Lavras, Minas Gerais
CK

Colt W. Knight

Assistant Extension Professor & State Livestock Specialist
The University of Maine
Orono, Maine
AR

Anna Robinson

Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine
Orono, Maine
KA

Kaycee Ames

Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine
Orono, Maine
ZM

Zhengxing Ma

Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Bar Harbour, Maine
SA

Seanna Annis

5School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono
Orono, Maine
CW

Changqing Wu

Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
JR

Juan Jose J. Romero

Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine
Orono, Maine

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of application rate (AR) of sodium lignosulfonate and propionic acid on high moisture alfalfa hay spoilage during storage. Treatments (TRT) were sodium lignosulfonate (NaL) and Propionic Acid (PRP), which were applied at four AR: 0 (CON), 0.25, 0.5 and 1% (w/w fresh basis) to 20% bloom alfalfa hay (second cut) at 68.5% DM and packed into mini bales (10.3x10.8x13cm; 346kg fresh/m³). The treated bales were stored for 33 days in open-top insulation boxes in a room kept at 22°C. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design (5 blocks) with a 2 (TRT) x 4 (AR) factorial arrangement, and differences were declared at P ≤ 0.05. At day 0, no differences were observed for DM (68.5 ± 0.61 %), CP (23.2 ± 0.31% DM), and NDF (42.6 ± 0.66% DM), but NaL had more sugars than PRP (0.99 vs. 0.87 ± 0.66% DM) and PRP at 1% reduced mold counts vs. CON (4.71 vs. 4.97 ± 0.05 log cfu/fresh g). At day 33, DM losses were decreased by PRP at 0.5 and 1% (0.9), relative to CON (6.92) and to NaL (6.63 ± 1.13%). Both TRT decreased NDF at 0.25% (46.3) and furthermore at 1% (44.2) relative to CON (49.4), but overall PRP had lower NDF (45.2) than NaL (47.2± 0.81% DM). No differences were observed for sugars and CP. Visual moldiness (0-10) and mold counts were also decreased by PRP at 0.5% (2.4 and 5.30) and 1% (0 and 2.7) relative to CON (6.0 and 7.13) and NaL (5.85 ± 0.67 and 7.21 ± 0.31 log cfu/fresh g, respectively). In conclusion, NaL failed to prevent spoilage of high moisture hay while PRP was effective at doses >0.5%.