Purpose To study the effects of different chemical drying agents on the nutritional quality of oat (Avena sativa L.), providing a theoretical basis for selecting the optimal method of oat hay preparing.
Methods Using ‘Morton’ oats at the waxy maturity stage as the research material, three different mass fractions of drying agents: NaHCO3 solution (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%), CaCO3 solution (1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%) and Na2CO3 solution (1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) were used for treatment, with natural air-drying serving as the control (CK). The drying time, nutritional quality, and other related indicators of different treatments of oat hay were measured, and a comprehensive analysis was carried out by grey correlation degree.
Results The shortest drying time of 137.33 hours was observed with the 1.0% NaHCO3 treatment. Oat hay treated with 1.5% CaCO3, 2.0% Na2CO3, and 0.5% NaHCO3 had significantly higher crude protein (CP) content compared with CK. Oat hay treated with 1.5% and 2.0% CaCO3, 1.0% Na2CO3, and 1.0% NaHCO3 exhibited significantly higher ether extract (EE) content compared with CK. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber content in oat hay treated with 1.5% Na2CO3 were significantly lower than those in CK. Oat hay treated with 1.5% NaHCO3 and Na2CO3 (1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) showed significantly higher relative feeding value than CK. Correlation analysis showed that NDF, crude ash, and dry matter intake were significantly positively correlated with drying time, while CP, EE, and digestible dry matter showed significant negative correlations with drying time. The comprehensive analysis of grey correlation degree showed that the equal weighting correlation of nutritional quality of oat hay, which was treated with 1.5% Na2CO3, was 0.8558, ranking the first.
Conclusion The nutritional quality of oat hay treated with 1.5% Na2CO3 solution spraying is the best, which is the most suitable drying agent treatment method for preparing oat hay in the Yunnan region.
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