EFFECT OF MOLASSES AND CORN AS SILAGE ADDITIVES ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTT
DWARF ELEPHANT GRASS SILAGE AT DIFFERENT FERMENTATION PERIODS
M.
QAMAR BILAL
Department of Livestock Management,
University
of Agriculture,
Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the best stage of cut and to
enhance the quality of mott grass silage by the addition of additives. For this
purpose, mott grass was obtained at 45 and 60 days of its re-growth, chopped
with an average particle length of ½ inches and filled in plastic boxes by
mixing two additives (molasses and corn), @ 0, 1, 3 and 5% of the forage dry
matter (DM), with three replicates each. In this way, 72 silos for each stage of
cut were prepared and kept at room temperature. Three silos of each treatment
were opened at each fermentation period (30, 35 and 40 days) for determination
of pH and lactic acid contents. The results indicated that mott grass cut at 45
days of its regrowth was the best to harvest maximum nutrients. The addition of
molasses @ 3% was found to be the best at 35 days fermentation period. The pH
decreased and lactic acid increased with level of additives and fermentation
periods. Dry matter and crude protein contents increased to some extent.
However, silage without additives showed the highest pH and low lactic acid,
indicating the poor quality silage. Similarly, a loss in DM and crude protein
was observed in mott grass ensiled without additives. It was concluded that the
use of additives such as molasses @ 3% fodder DM is imperative to make quality
mott grass silage.