Harvest Time Determines Quality and Usability of Biomass from Lowland Hay Meadows

Meike Boob, Martin Elsaesser, Ulrich Thumm, Jens Hartung and Iris Lewandowski
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Meike Boob: Biobased Products and Energy Crops (340b), Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Martin Elsaesser: Grassland Division, Grassland Management, Dairy Management, Wildlife and Fisheries Baden-Wuerttemberg, Agricultural Centre for Cattle Production, Atzenberger Weg 99, 88326 Aulendorf, Germany
Ulrich Thumm: Biobased Products and Energy Crops (340b), Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Jens Hartung: Biostatistics (340c), Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Iris Lewandowski: Biobased Products and Energy Crops (340b), Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Species-rich hay meadows are usually managed extensively to maintain their biodiversity, with the harvested biomass traditionally being fed to ruminants for milk or meat production. The quality of the biomass is, however, variable, difficult to predict and often does not fulfil today’s requirements. This study established a field trial at two species-rich hay meadows to investigate the combined effect of fertilisation (none, phosphorus and potassium (PK), nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK)) and date of first cut (at different phenological stages) on biomass quality and quantity. In addition, the most suitable uses of the biomass were explored, including the alternatives biogas and combustion. After four years of the field trial, the stage of maturity at the time of first cut had a greater influence than extensive fertilisation on biomass quality. Dry matter yield (DMY) of the first cut was about 40%–60% of annual DMY (53.99 ± 12.51 dt ha −1 a −1 ) depending on site, fertilisation and harvest time. Fertilisation had a stronger effect than harvest time on DMY and annual methane yield. In most cases, there was no significant difference in chemical composition between biomass harvested at the end of the grass-flowering stage and at the seed-ripening stage. Thus, a late cut for hay proved to be the most flexible option.

Keywords: grassland management; Natura 2000; forage quality; bioenergy; biorefinery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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