Abstract
We examined the fermentative qualities of forage rice grain silage with added wheat bran, molasses or tofu cake. Rice grain (rough rice and brown rice) as the main material together with wheat bran, molasses or tofu cake as the secondary material were prepared in a laboratory-scale silage and stored for 86 days at 25°C. The fermentative quality of these silages were then evaluated. Silage fermentation in both rough rice and brown rice using any of the secondary materials had progressed ; however, there was some occurrence of fungi in the samples with wheat bran and molasses. We also examined suitable mixing ratios of rice grain and tofu cake for silage fermentation. Rough rice and tofu cake were mixed at 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100% by weight ratio without water addition, and stored for 28 days at 25°C. Their fermentation quality was then evaluated. Our results show that silage fermentation was able to progress in the samples mixed at 25-75% without water addition. Therefore, this range has been determined to be suitable for mixing ratios of rice grain and tofu cake for silage fermentation.
