News
Trying new way to ammoniate hay
MU Forage Systems Research Center
The University of Missouri Extension will be trying a new way to ammoniate hay to improve its quality. Most of the hay crop in Missouri and other states is expected to have low quality this year. MU agronomy specialist Valerie Tate says much of the state’s hay crop was harvested four to eight weeks late because of weather challenges.
Instead of stacking bales, covering them with a tarp and inserting ammonia to help with digestibility, Tate tells Brownfield Ag News they’ll be completely encasing the hay with plastic used to make baleage (silage), “And then we’re going to pipe the ammonia into those wrapped bales. Instead of stacking them in a pyramid, we’re going to try this and see if this is a more efficient way to ammoniate low quality forage.”
She says ammonia can be lost in the ground in the stacking method. Tate says it’s important for farmers to have their hay tested before and after ammoniation. A demonstration of the new technique will be held at the M-U Forage Systems Research Center in Linneus, in northern Missouri, on Thursday, October 22nd.
AUDIO: Interview with Valerie Tate
Add Comment