The development of plant components and their effects on the composition of fresh and ensiled forage maize: 2. The effect of genotype, plant density and date of harvest on the composition of maize silage

1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 485-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Wilkinson ◽  
R. H. Phipps

SummaryForage maize was harvested on three occasions from three genotypes (Inra 200, LG11 and Anjou 210), grown at three plant densities (5·0, 9·8 and 13·5 plants/m2). Three replicate silos were filled with 8 kg fresh crop per treatment, sealed, and stored for 100 days.Crops from all treatments fermented to give predominantly lactic acid, low values for pH (average 3·9, range 3·7–4·1), with no butyric acid. Apparent loss of watersoluble carbohydrates during storage appeared to be directly related to their content at harvest.Genotype and plant density had relatively little effect on the composition of the silage, or on digestibility in vitro. Later harvest was reflected in increased contents of dry matter and starch, and in restricted fermentation. The content of digestible organic matter in the D.M. was decreased by later harvest.

1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 471-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Phipps ◽  
R. F. Weller

SummaryResults from two trials, in which the effects of genotype, plant density and harvest date on the accumulation of dry matter and the chemical composition and nutritive value of plant components, are presented. Inra 200, LG11, Maris Saffron, Caldera 535, Anjou 210 and White Horse Tooth were established at 5·0, 9·8 and 13·5 plants/m2 in factorially designed experiments.In vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter, water-soluble carbohydrates, starch, total nitrogen, acid-detergent fibre, cellulose, lignin, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, zinc, manganese and copper were analysed for the whole crop and plant components.With the exception of White Horse Tooth, stem yields declined after reaching a peak 2–3 weeks after mid-silk. This was attributed to movement of water-soluble carbohydrates from the stem to the ear, with greater movement being associated with a larger ear component. As a result the in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter value of the stem component was greater for crops containing a small proportion of ear. The higher stem digestibility value compensated for the small ear component, with the result that the varying proportions of plant components did not markedly affect whole-crop digestibility prior to ensiling.The greater deposition of starch in crops with a large ear component caused a significantly more rapid rise in whole-crop D.M. content than in crops with a small ear component.Acid-detergent fibre and lignin values for the whole crop were much lower than those recorded in the U.S.A. Genotype and plant density had no effect on mineral content but phosphorus and potassium concentrations declined dramatically after frost.


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 975-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER ◽  
D. B. FOWLER

Dry matter yield, percent dry weight, in vitro digestible dry matter, in vitro digestible organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ash and hemicellulose contents were determined for spring- and fall-sown common wheat, barley, rye and triticale and spring-sown durum wheat and oats for the period from late boot to maturity. Differences among cultivars and stages of maturity were significant for all parameters. These differences were accompanied by stage of maturity interactions. Consideration of the interrelationships among these parameters revealed that level of in vitro digestible dry matter was reflected in measures of acid detergent fiber and ash or percent dry weight. Further analyses indicated that differences in digestibility due to stage of maturity were primarily reflected by changes in ash or percent dry weight, while differences in digestibility among cultivars were mainly attributable to differences in acid detergent fiber.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Abuye Tulu ◽  
Mekonnen Diribsa ◽  
Worku Temesgen

Recognizing the potential and importance of cultivating improved forage crops as a means of tackling the recurrent feed shortage facing the study area, seven oat genotypes were tested in randomized complete block design with three replications across two locations for three growing seasons (2014, 2015, and 2016). The study was aimed to evaluate dry matter (DM) and digestible organic matter yield and nutrient composition of oat genotypes. The study revealed that oat genotypes responded differently for herbage dry matter (DM) and digestible organic matter (OM) yield, and quality parameters in both study locations. Averaged over the seven oat genotypes, herbage DM and digestible OM yield. recorded at Bako were higher than Boneya Boshe location across the study periods. The ash ( P  > 0.05) content did not vary among oat genotypes at both testing locations, while variation was observed for DM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), in vitro digestibility, and metabolizable energy (ME) constituents. In general, genotypes ILRI 6710 and 5453 showed higher herbage DM and digestible OM yield. Moreover, the two genotypes are also higher in their in vitro digestibility value and ME, DM, and CP contents but relatively lower in NDF, ADF, and ADL fiber constituents, and thus, they are recommended for wider cultivation.


1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-161
Author(s):  
M. Hadjipanayiotou

ABSTRACTPoultry litter collected from a commercial broiler house, bedded with wood shavings, was used. The material was screened and ground before it was ensiled either alone or with other agricultural by-products, namely chopped barley straw, a mixture of weeds and grapefruit peels. The digestible organic matter in the dry matter value in vitro (0·39) for litter was comparable with that for straw and weeds. Of the total nitrogen (36·3 g/kg dry matter), 0·19 was ammonia-nitrogen and 0·77 protein-nitrogen. Digestible energy and crude fibre in the litter were 7·19 MJ and 334 g/kg dry matter, respectively. Addition of poultry litter at ensiling resulted in significant increases in nitrogen and ash content of the original mixtures. Inclusion of sodium hydroxide in fermented and non-fermented mixtures elevated digestible organic matter in the dry matter values in vitro by 0·19 and 0·13, respectively; the crude fibre concentration was lowered. All initial mixtures were free of lactic acid and were positive for the pathogen Proteus when tested. Unlike crude fibre, fatty acid and free ammonia, which were increased after fermentation, digestible organic matter in the dry matter and pH values were decreased. Ensiling killed the pathogen Proteus in the majority of the silages tested. The silages had a pleasant aroma and colour, and were consumed by Chios sheep.


1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 515-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Susmel ◽  
B. Stefanon ◽  
C. R. Mills ◽  
M. Spanghero

ABSTRACTRumen degradability of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin was evaluated with the in situ technique for maize silage and cocksfoot, timothy, fescue, lucerne and meadow hays. The degradability of each of the six forages was studied separately, each forage being used in turn as the main component of the diet offered to four fistulated cows. For each forage 300 g were mordanted with sodium dichromate and placed in the rumen when the same forage was studied. Faecal grab samples were collected to measure the forage transit time. Digestibility was evaluated using both lignin as an indicator and by an in vitro method.Rumen outflow rate was higher for cocksfoot and lucerne hays than for maize silage and the meadow, timothy and fescue hays (P < 0·01). The effective degradabilities of DM and OM were higher in maize silage, fescue and lucerne than in cocksfoot, timothy or meadow hay (P < 0·01). Effective degradability of N was highest in lucerne and lowest in timothy and meadow hay (P < 0·01). The degradability of NDF, hemicellulose and cellulose for fescue was always the highest of the six forages (P < 0·01; P < 0·05; F < 0·01 respectively).Rumen outflow rate was statistically correlated with the c value of DM (r = 0·47), N (r = 0·54), NDF (r = 0·43) and hemicellulose (r = 0·43). High correlations were observed between rate constants of degradation of NDF and hemicellulose, cellulose or lignin (0·93, 0·75 and 0·79 respectively). The regression between in vitro and lignin-derived digestibility was highly significant (P < 0·001, r2 = 0·902 residual s.e. 0·017). The multiple regression analysis between lignin-based digestibility and degradability coefficients, effective degradability and coefficients of faecal chromium excretion was highly significant (r = 0·748; residual s.e. = 0·03).


1979 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Aston ◽  
S. R. Daley ◽  
J. C. Tayler

ABSTRACT1. Thirty lactating British Friesian heifers and cows were individually given maize silage ad libitum containing 331 g dry matter/kg, 13 g nitrogen and 11·2 MJ of metabolizable energy per kg dry matter. Urea or aqueous ammonia was mixed in at the time of feeding to give 7·0 g nitrogen per kg silage dry matter. Urea-treated silage was given with concentrates at a high (mean 6·6 kg dry matter/day: treatment HU) or a low (mean 3·3 kg:treatment LU) level of feeding; the lower level only was given with ammonia-treated silage (treatment LA).2. The addition of ammonia raised silage pH values from 3·9 to 4·4. Silage dry-matter intakes in lactation weeks 7 to 22 for treatments HU, LU and LA were 8·8, 11·1 and 10·7 kg/day.3. Digestible organic matter content in the dry matter of the diets measured in vivo was not significantly affected by treatment. However, digestible organic matter intakes were significantly greater for treatment HU than for LU in weeks 7 to 10, and for LU than for LA in weeks 11 to 22.4. The yields of milk and the contents of protein, lactose and energy did not differ between treatments. The milk yields for treatments HU, LU and LA in weeks 7 to 22 were 20·2,19·2, 18·8 kg/day respectively. Fat content of milk was significantly depressed with the HU treatment for heifers in weeks 7 to 10. The live-weight changes of the cows in weeks 7 to 22 for treatments HU, LU and LA were +0·10, −0·07 and −0·37 kg/day; the live-weight loss by cows given treatment LA was significantly greater than for LU. The live-weight change of the heifers was not affected by treatment.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Moore ◽  
C. Harris

ABSTRACTOne hundred tonnes of spring-sown barley harvested as whole crop were treated on a commercial farm with pearl sodium hydroxide at 46 g/kg dry matter.The treated material was stored in a silage clamp beneath grass and lucerne silage. A thin layer of grass, cut and wilted to hay-making dry matter, was placed immediately on top of the barley to absorb any silage effluent.Monthly samples were taken for microbiological examination and chemical analysis throughout winter storage, while the material was fed to British Friesian dairy cows. There was no evidence of fermentation by clostridia in the whole-crop barley or wilted grass and there was no spoilage of the exposed feeding face. The treatment increased the in vitro organic matter digestibility and the in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter of the whole-crop barley. No excessive urination or other ill effects were observed in the stock.The method proved practical for the satisfactory storage and feeding of sodium hydroxide-treated whole-crop barley.


1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 493-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Phipps ◽  
R. F. Weller ◽  
Rosemary J. Fulford

SummaryMaize (Anjou 210), a density-sensitive genotype, was established at 5 and 15 plants/m2 and produced crops containing 50 and 26% grain respectively. Prior to ensiling, the high and low grain crops contained 6·9 and 20·4% water-soluble carbohydrates in the dry matter respectively and were reduced to 0·4 and 1·6% of the dry matter in the silage. The high grain silage contained a lower concentration of acid-detergent fibre, cellulose, lignin, cell-wall constituents and organic acids than the low grain silage. These differences were not reflected in the in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter values which were similar in both silages.Two groups of autumn-calving Freisian cows were offered either the high or low grain silage ad libitum as the sole forage plus an 18% crude protein concentrate during a 14-week experimental period. The cows which received the high grain silage produced significantly more milk of a significantly lower milk fat content than the cows which received the low grain silage.The increased milk production coupled with the smaller loss of water-soluble carbohydrates during ensiling show that a high grain content in forage maize is a desirable attribute. It is suggested that density tolerance should be one of the selection criteria used by plant breeders to allow crops to be established at high plant densities from which near maximum dry-matter yields could be obtained, while still containing a high proportion of grain.


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