Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Cell Wall Biology and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425257
Research Project: Identifying and Developing Strategies to Enhance Sustainability and Efficiency in Dairy Forage Production Systems

Location: Cell Wall Biology and Utilization Research

Title: Obstacles to preserving protein in alfalfa silage

Author
item Panke-Buisse, Kevin
item Arther, Christina

Submitted to: Forage Focus
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/2025
Publication Date: 5/1/2025
Citation: Panke-Buisse, K., Arther, C.M. 2025. Obstacles to preserving protein in alfalfa silage. Forage Focus. 6-7.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Alfalfa is an important forage crop, particularly in the dairy industry, owing to its soil-building potential and high protein content. However, full utilization of alfalfa as a forage crop is limited by challenges related to getting its protein from the field and into the feed bunk. Alfalfa protein is prone to degradation, a process that begins immediately following harvest and continues until the forage is sufficiently dry when used as hay or sufficiently acidified when ensiled and can result in the loss of over 80% of true protein from field to finished product. Here we discuss the mechanisms of protein loss and degradation in alfalfa silage, downstream effects on animal performance, mitigation strategies, and current research.