Author
MAYLAND, HENRY | |
SHEWMAKER, GLENN - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO | |
FISHER, DWIGHT | |
Burns, Joseph |
Submitted to: Michigan Forage Council Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2000 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Plants accumulate sugars during the day and use them at night. Cattle, sheep, and goats are sensitive to diurnal changes in these sugars. Animals prefer forages harvested in afternoon to those harvested in morning, and eat more of the afternoon harvested hay. Dairy cows also produce more milk. Changing swathing time from morning to late afternoon can increase the value of harvest forage by 15% without increasing costs. Technical Abstract: Plants accumulate sugars during the day and use them at night. Cattle, sheep, and goats are sensitive to diurnal changes in these sugars. Animals prefer forages harvested in afternoon to those harvested in morning, and eat more of the afternoon harvested hay. Dairy cows also produce more milk. Changing swathing time from morning to late afternoon can increase the value of harvest forage by 15% without increasing costs. |