The global climate is undergoing significant changes, impacting various sectors, including agriculture. Many studies have shown that rising temperatures, drying spells, and changes in the cutting process greatly affect the yield and nutritive value of bulk timothy hay. However, specific regions may benefit from particular levels of climate change.
The research done by Rothamsted and the University of Reading shows a 35% decrease in animal fodder yields from grassland in the last century. The study predicts a further 20-50% reduction in spring hay yield due to climate change from 2020 to 2080.
It also highlights that rainfall patterns and temperature have distinct effects on spring hay output throughout the year, with spring conditions more important than those in autumn and winter for high animal forage growth.
The Effect of Drought on Hay Growth
It is found that changes in future weather forecasts will affect the harvesting and yielding process of various livestock hay, even from premium manufacturers like Maple Gems, including timothy and alfalfa
The study done by Höglind has presented the climatic changes expected for timothy production in the 2050s. He indicated that the yield response was slightly less in non-irrigated conditions compared to irrigated areas, with reductions of 11% and 14%, respectively.
In the UK, recent dry years and predicted more dry seasons, along with changes in rainfall patterns, are causing lower water reservoir levels. This could lead to dry spells and drought conditions in the coming years, which will reduce overall forage productivity. Unfortunately, irrigation is rarely an option due to high costs compared to the expected benefits in reducing yield loss.
Increased Temperature and Low Hay Yield
Increased temperature was shown to reduce forage or pasture nutritive value. Timothy hay is a grass that depends on temperate conditions and cannot withstand extreme weather. This sensitivity can lead to a decline in its quality and force farmers to consider cultivating other fodder types.
It is predicted that till the end of the century, under high greenhouse gas emissions, the UK might experience 40°C days every 3-4 years, with an average temperature increase of up to 4 degrees Celsius on an industrial scale. Such temperature changes pose a risk as they can decrease yields regardless of fertilizers used.
Elevated temperatures can result in potential increases in non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations and decreases in plant potassium concentration. Also, a prolonged photoperiod along with higher degrees may affect various parameters, including dry matter yield and concentrations of minerals and starch.
Effect of elevated CO2 concentration on the Hay-yielding
Climate change brings some positive impacts on yield growth. The anticipated global warming is likely to extend the growing season. When combined with elevated atmospheric CO2 levels, it enhances the gross primary production (GPP) and overall growth. It reviewed that doubling the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere can increase the photosynthesis rate by 30% to 50%.
Field experiments in the USA, Australia, and Europe observed that doubling atmospheric CO2 concentrations could stimulate plant production by 17%. However, the complexity of the impact of eCO2 on grassland production is also highlighted as it shows that the main increase in production with eCO2 occurs below ground rather than above ground.
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