Theme 09: Forage Quality
Archived
This content is available here strictly for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping and as such it may not be fully accessible. If you work or study at University of Kentucky and would like to request an accessible version, please use the SensusAccess Document Converter.
Publication Date
2001
Location
Brazil
Description
Recently documented benefits from afternoon versus morning cut forage have encouraged laboratory reporting of total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) values as part of forage quality testing. Our objective was to determine if infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS), which is being used in many forage testing labs, could be reliably used to quantify forage sugars in hay samples. We used two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) sample populations that were analyzed by wet chemistry for sugars and scanned by NIRS. The first set consisted of field-dried hay samples that were oven dried at 70oC and the second consisted of fresh, freeze-dried samples. TNC values were determined more precisely with NIRS than by wet chemistry.
Citation
Mayland, H. F.; Burns, J. C.; Fisher, D. S.; and Shewmaker, Glenn E., "Near Infra-Red Measurement of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Alfalfa Hay" (2001). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 35.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/19/9/35)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Near Infra-Red Measurement of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Alfalfa Hay
Brazil
Recently documented benefits from afternoon versus morning cut forage have encouraged laboratory reporting of total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) values as part of forage quality testing. Our objective was to determine if infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS), which is being used in many forage testing labs, could be reliably used to quantify forage sugars in hay samples. We used two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) sample populations that were analyzed by wet chemistry for sugars and scanned by NIRS. The first set consisted of field-dried hay samples that were oven dried at 70oC and the second consisted of fresh, freeze-dried samples. TNC values were determined more precisely with NIRS than by wet chemistry.
