Chemical conservation of legume crops

The article provides characteristics of legume crops and nutritional value of chemically conserved forage. Legume crops are leaders in vegetable protein production among forage herbs. Such cultures as lucern, Eastern galega and astragalus are of economic value. Legume crops are used to produce hay and haylage, and as green fodder. However, silage making from legume crops is difficult due to high content of protein and the absence of sugar in them. Using of benzoic acid as a chemical conserving agent facilitates better preserving of nutrients, what significantly increases nutritional value of forage. To prepare quality forage, 4-6 kg of benzoic acid per 1 tonne of legume crops mass is normally added. As compared to the initial green mass, forage made of astragalus preserves 97.6 % of dry substance, galega forage - 99.3 %, lucern forage - 98.7 %. In all forages the content of crude protein decreased, as compared to green mass - by 9.8; 8.3; 5.1 %; crude fiber - by 5.1; 1.2; 2.4 % respectively. In the process of silage making crude fat accumulated in all types of forage, and the content of nitrogen-free extractive substances increased in forage made of astragalus and galega, as compared to the initial green mass. The studied forage kinds were characterized by high calorific value: astragalus - 2.34 MJ per 1 kg, what equals 96.7 % of the initial green mass; galega, respectively - 2.38 MJ and 95.6%; lucern - 2.25 MJ and 93.4 %. Thus, good quality forage may be produced of legume crops using s chemical conserving agent.