

AGRI 



xVJIbv CIRCULAR No. 443 AUGUST 1937 - . 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 WASHINGTON, D. C. 



ARTIFICIAL DRYING OF FORAGE CROPS 1 



By E. D. Gordon and W. M. Hurst, associate agricultural engineers, Division of 

 Mechanical Equipment, Bureau of Agricultural Engineering 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Need for forage driers 1 



Types of driers 2 



Tests of driers 4 



Use of driers 12 



Capacity 12 



Page 

 Use of driers— Continued. 



Furnace and fuels 13 



Power requirements. _ 15 



Operation of driers and cost of drying 16 



Feeding value of artificially dried forage 20 



NEED FOR FORAGE DRIERS 



The production and curing of forage crops is an important part of the 

 program of farm operations in most parts of the United States. Not 

 only is forage a basic ingredient of livestock rations but it also has 

 an important place in crop rotation and in the conservation of soil 

 fertility. Since it is desirable to bring quality production in line 

 with profitable operation, attention is being given to the curing of 

 forage artificially. The reason for this comparatively new under- 

 taking lies in the results of feeding experiments which show that for- 

 age of high grade (U. S. grade) is usually superior in feeding value 

 to low-grade forage. 



Feeding experiments have demonstrated (p. 21) that with artificial 

 drying forage of superior quality can be obtained from a crop that 

 otherwise, under unfavorable weather conditions, would be of inferior 

 quality. Methods and equipment employed in harvesting, curing, 

 and subsequent processing operations govern to a large degree the 

 value of the product for feed. This is especially true in the more 

 humid areas. Overdrying, leaf shattering, and discoloration by rain 

 and dew, reduce the returns to the grower regardless of whether the 

 hay is used on the farm or is sold. Occasionally unfavorable condi- 

 tions result in practically a total loss of the crop. 



The use of green, leafy alfalfa hay and of alfalfa meal as a source 

 of vitimin A has also stimulated interest in artificial drying. When 

 the crop is cut at the proper stage and dried artificially without 

 injury, hay or hay products equivalent to U. S. No. 1 Extra Green, 

 Extra Leafy alfalfa may be obtained. The carotene content, source 

 of vitamin A activity, usually is higher in hay artificially dried than 

 in sun-cured hay of the same grade. Artificial drying also tends to 

 preserve the protein and mineral elements of hay by eliminating the 



i The investigation on which this report is based was conducted under cooperation between the Bureaus 

 of Agricultural Engineering, Animal Industry, Dairy Industry, Plant Industry, and Agricultural Eco- 



151358°— 37- 



