Authors : M. S. Yahaya , M. Kawai , J. Takashashi , S. Matsuoka , M. Goto and S. Karita
Abstract: Some time forage cut for ensilage takes longer time before being filled into the silo due to due to unexpected problems not on the farmers fault such as mechanical breakdown of farm equipment of difficult weather conditions and some time on the farmers side such as sickness etc. To provide an assessment during such a difficult perio, this study determined the influence of 0, 1 and 2 days (d) delayed period before filling of orchardgrass into a silo on the degradation of its structural carbohydrates and nutritifve value of silages. The nutritive value, of the four treatments (i.e. fresh material of orchardgrass and 0, 1 and 2 days delayed silages) was determined with four wethers in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Higher (P<0.05) contents of acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia was recorded in 2d silage compared to 0d and 1d delayed silages. Water soluble carbonhydrates losses increased (P<0.05) with increased delayed before filling into a silo. The total losses of hemicellulose, cellulose and pectin increased (P<0.05) from 7, 3 and 5% in 0d silage to 14, 6 and 24% in 1d silage and to 25, 16 and 44% in 2d silage, respectively. These increased losses in 1 and 2 days silages could be linked to aerobic determioration and prolonged proteolysis of the components before filling as well as during ensiling by microbial activity. Higher dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility was obtained in directly ensiled silage (0d). This probably due to its lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content and DM loss associated with its higher total digestive nutrients (TDN) and digestible crude protein (DCP) values compared to 2d silage. Ether extract digestibility was higher (P<0.05) in 1 and 2d silages due to increased organic acid content during fermentation. Hemicellulose digestibility was lower in silages compared to material grass probably as result of degradation of araban one of its readily digestible fraction during ensilage. While higher (P<0.05) gross energy digestibility was obtained in material grass digestible energy value was lowest in 2d silage. Result from this study conducted in Juen at Obihiro University, Latitude 42.9 N and longitude 143.2 E Japan, showed that delaying the filling of silo for one day did not lower (P>0.05) the nutritive value of silage (i.e., DCP % and DE Mcal/kg DM) compared to directly ensiled silage. However, greater decreased (P<0.05) in nutritive value was obtained in silage delayed for two days before filling into silo. Althrough is not a common practice to delay filling of forage during ensiling, these results provide some useful information or assessment during such a difficult period to the producers as well as researchers in high quality cool-season grass silage.
M. S. Yahaya , M. Kawai , J. Takashashi , S. Matsuoka , M. Goto and S. Karita , 2003. Effect of Prolonging the Time Prioer to Filling into the Silo on Degradation and Digestibility of Structural Carbohydrates of Orchardgrass . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2: 133-137.