An Analysis of the Process of Drying Fresh Bales

Due to the confirmed positive effects on the fatty acid composition of milk, drying grass fodder is becoming increasingly important in Alpine areas. Using new technological solutions, such as condensation dryers, makes drying possible also in extreme conditions, such as drying completely fresh fodder in bales. The possibility of such extreme drying of completely fresh bales of lucerne has been confirmed by tests on three modern drying systems in two Alpine countries, in Slovenia and Austria. The drying process was identical in all the dryers, with new technological solutions used in the equipment of the condensation dryer for the second test. The results showed that drying lucerne on a sophisticated condensation dryer is possible with properly executed drying procedures and adequate technological equipment. Such drying completely preserves the energy value of fresh lucerne. The use of new technological solutions for the condensation dryer reduces costs by a further 30 - 33 %.