Abstract
Alfalfa drying models for standard and chemical conditioning were integrated with a whole-farm model of the dairy-forage system. Simulation was used to evaluate benefits and costs of chemical conditioning over 25 years on representative Michigan dairy farms. Conditioning with potassium carbonate can be economical in hay production, but uneconomical in haylage production. An economically-optimum application rate of 500 L/ha was determined for first cutting with optimum rates of 200 and 300 L/ha on second and third cuttings. Use of a heavy swath during field drying caused the treatment to be less effective and uneconomical.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1024-1030 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Jul 1 1985 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)