Evaluation of Fermentation Dynamics and
Structural Carbohydrate Degradation of Napiergrass Ensiled with
Additives of Urea and Molasses
Hui Rong,
Chengqun Yu1, Zhihua Li, Masataka Shimojo2 and
Tao Shao*
Institute of Ensiling and Processing of Grass,
College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural
University, Nanjing, 210095, P. R. China; 1Institute
of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China; 2Laboratory
of Animal Feed Science, Division of Animal Science, Department of
Animal and Marine Bioresource Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
*Corresponding author: taoshaolan@yahoo.com.cn
Abstract
This study examined the effects of urea, molasses
on fermentation dynamics and structural carbohydrate degradation of Napiergrass
(Pennisetum
purpureum Schumach),
which was ensiled in laboratory silos for 3, 7, 14, and 30 days at the ambient temperature. The treatments were additions (fresh weight basis) of:
no molasses or urea (control), no molasses and 0.4% urea (U), 4% molasses and 0%
urea (M), 4% molasses and 0.4% urea (MU). The results showed that the control group produced an unstable
fermentation. U silage always had smallest amount of lactic acid and highest
levels of pH, acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen. Compared with
control, both M and MU increased water soluble
carbohydrate contentswhich promoted
lactic acid fermentation domination, but MU did not restrain clostridial
fermentation. After 30 days of ensiling, compared with the control,
both M and MU lowered structural carbohydrate contents,
and U lowered crude protein content but MU increased this parameter. It
was concluded that the combination of 4%
molasses with 0.4% urea could improve the fermentation and nutritive qualities
of Napiergrass but was not sufficient to inhibit
clostridial fermentation.