ALFALFA AS A SOURCE OF PROTEIN

Alfalfa is a medium-high good quality crude protein forage for milk production. The proportions in which a large part of the amino acids found in alfalfa are similar to those found in milk.The heat treatment used for alfalfa dehydration could reduce rumen protein degradability improving the intestinal digestible protein supply and animal performance.

0

5

10

15

20

VALU

ES A

S PER

CEN

TAG

ES (

%)

MILK ALFALFA

Leu Lys Val Ile Phe Thr Arg His Met Trp

HOW IS DETERMINED ALFALFA QUALITY?

RFV=120/%NDF 88.9-(0,779 x %ADF)X

1.29

Relative Feed Value (RFV)Categories of the quality of forages are established

from the RFV values, which depend on the alfalfa phenological stage, and is calculated from feed intake (estimated from NDF content) and digestibility (estimated from ADF content) according to:

Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)It is another criterion for determining the quality

of the forage. It is calculated from intake and total digestible nutrients (TDN).

ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE FABRICANTES DE ALFALFA DESHIDRATADA

http://www.igm.ule-csic.es/http://www.csic.es/

https://www.unileon.es/http://aefa-d.com/

2. NUTRITIVE VALUE OF ALFALFA AND CONSERVATION METHODS

FEEDING DAIRY COWS

CELULOSA CELULOSA CELULOSA CELULOSA

CELULOSA

CELULOSA

CELULOSA

QUALITY RFV ADF (%)

EXTRA QUALITY 150-170 29-32 36-40

FIRST

SECOND

130-150 32-35 40-44

<130 >35 >44

NDF (%)

Classification of the Spanish Dehydrated Alfalfa

CELULOSA CELULOSACP(%)

>18 Dark green

16.5-18 Green

15-16.5 Pale green

COLOR

USDA Classification

CELULOSA CELULOSA CELULOSA CELULOSA

CELULOSA

CELULOSA

CELULOSA

QUINTA

QUINTA

CATEGORIES RFV ADF (%) NDF (%)

SUPREME >185 <27 <34

PREMIUM

GOOD

FAIR

UTILITY

170-185 27-29 34-36

150-170 29-32 36-40

130-150 32-35 40-44

<130 >35 >44

CELULOSACP-100%

>22

20-22

18-20

16-18

<16

METHODS OF ALFALFA CONSERVATION

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE CONSERVATION METHODS

Although the management is carried out correctly, there are losses in performance or forage quality during operation involving conservation. Major losses occur during harvesting (leave losses, cellular respiration, handling, rain, etc.) and is proportional to its dry matter content. In storage, the losses are related to respiration of the plant and microorganisms, and oxidation. The main disadvantage of dehydration is the economic investment, though, gets a better extraction of the water, which increases nutrient content per kg of feed, so the cost of transportation is lower compared to the other methods of conservation, as well as it reduces the risk of microbial contamination.

Henification

Ensiling

Dehydration

BALES

BRIQUETTES

PELLETS

MEJORA EL VALOR NUTRITIVOIMPROVE NUTRITIVE VALUE

REDUCE MICROBIALCONTAMINATION

ALLOW HIGH NUMBER OF HARVESTS

MENOR TIEMPO EN EL CAMPOREDUCES HARVEST TIMES

WATER OF FORAGE IS NATURALLY EVAPORATED ON FIELDS AND BALED FOR EASING TRANSPORT AND STORING

MENOR TIEMPO EN EL CAMPO3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS

OF ALFALFA

NUTRIENT LOSSES DURING HARVESTING

ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED ALFALFA SILAGE

NUTRIENT LOSSES DURING STORAGE

ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED ALFALFA SILAGE

ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED ALFALFA SILAGE

ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED ALFALFA SILAGE ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED

ALFALFA SILAGE

ALFALFA HAY DEHYDRATED ALFALFA SILAGE

CHOPPING TIME IN TMR WAGON

RISK OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION

INVESTMENT NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE CONSERVATION PROCESS

LABOR COST PER NUTRIENT UNIT

WHAT IS ALFALFA?

Basically higher protein percentages than other forage grasses and greater operational capacity in implementing a method of preservation than other legumes.

WHAT DOES ALFALFA PROVIDE TO TMR RATIONS ?

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a herbaceous plant from the legume family. It is prized as fodder for ruminants owing to its excellent nutritional properties and its high degree of palatability.

NEUTRAL DETERGENT FIBERCRUDE PROTEIN

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Phleum pratense Dactylis glomerata Cynodon dactylon

Trifolium pratense Lotus corniculatus

Medicago sativa

VALU

ES IN

PER

CEN

TAG

ES (%

DM

)

day 1 day 2 day 14

FASE AEROBIC FERMENTATION PHASE STABILITY PHASE

Aerobic and facultative anaero-bic microorganism,and oxygen

pHTemperature

Acidolactic bacterias and lactic acid

EVOLUTION OF PARAMETERS

DURING ENSILING

Dehydrated alfalfa in relation to hay:

• IT REDUCES RELIANCE ON WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOWING BETTER PLANNING OF HARVEST

• GETS HIGHER NUTRITIONAL VALUE BY REDUCING THE LOSS OF LEAVES

• BETTER AND MORE HOMOGENEOUS DRYING REDUCING SUBSEQUENT CONTAMINATION

• SAVES PROCESSING TIME IN THE TMR MIXING WAGON0

2

4

6

8

10

12

16

14

Phleum pratense

Dactylis glomerata

Cynodon dactylon

Trifolium pratense

Lotus corniculatus

Medicago sativa

18

CA

LCIU

M (

g/k

g D

M)

Alfalfa is a good source of soluble fiber, mainly pectins, highly digestible and with non acidogenic fermentation pattern. Approximately 40% of the fat content of alfalfa is made up for linolenic acid, precursor of the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). It is also a better source of calcium with respect to other forages.