Influence of stage of growth at cutting on lucerne production
Abstract A 5-year field trial confirmed that for maximum production lucerne should not be mown frequently when it is growing vigorously. Lucerne repeatedly cut when 20 cm high had 73% of the yield and 115% of the percentage leaf of lucerne cut at early flowering, but continuous mowing at a vigorous growth stage caused severe reduction in lucerne vigour and delayed its recovery growth. This in turn reduced lucerne stand longevity and favoured ingress of weeds.
Yields of protein extracted from irrigated lucerne
Abstract When grown under irrigation in Canterbury, New Zealand, lucerne whole herbage gave total nitrogen yields and leaf and stem percentages which were similar for 5-weekJy (preflowering) harvests and early-flowenng harvests. Yields of extractable protem were also similar. although total herbage dry-matter yields were significantly higher from the longer intervals between harvests (195q kg/ha protein from 17 200 kg/ha dry herbage at preflowenng stage; 1880 kg/ha protem from 21 340 kg/ha dry herbage at early-flowering stage). Extractable protein yielded by herbage cut at 4-weekly intervals to a stubble of 10 em length was similar to that obtained from a crop cut less frequently and to a shorter stubble. Total N yield of lucerne was higher when the crop was grazed at 5-weekly intervals than when it was cut at the same mtervals. The yield of extractable protein from a treatment which was cut at 5-weekly intervals, then stocked. with sheep fed chopped green lucerne ad lib. on the. same area for the subsequ...
A laboratory‐scale press for extracting juice from leaf pulp
A press is described with which loads of up to 1 ton can be applied quickly to 1 kg quantities of leaf pulp spread over 450 cm2. The juice extracted is similar in quantity and quality to that extracted by large‐scale equipment. Evidence is presented that the conditions of pressing are so uniform that the yields of juice are consistent.