Abstract
For a period of 3 years, experiments were carried out to assess losses of dry matter, nutritive value and nutrients intake in field cured hay, wire rack dried hay, moist hay treated with ammonium tetra-propionate (ATP) and silage prepared from Italian ryegrass, using sheep and heifer. And also, postprandial changes of rumen fermentation and blood composition were surveyed at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 hours after feeding using sheep and 4 hours after feeding using heifer. Wilted silage showed the lowest losses of dry matter and nutrients, and more intake of nutrients by sheep than any hay. Although wire rack dried hay was superior to field cured hay in dry matter recovery, nutritive value and nutrients intake by sheep, wire rack dried hay was inferior to wilted silage. When ATP was applied to hay of 30% moisture content at rates of 1% by a applicator fitted to the baler, heating, moulding and losses of dry matter occured. At the 25% moisture level of hay, the 3% treatment of ATP prevented extensive moulding and nutrient losses assosiated with this. All controls were 100% mouldy. As for the molar ratio of VFA in rumen fluid, the sheep fed silage showed the lower acetic acid, the higher propionic and butyric acids than those fed any hay. Protozoal numbers in rumen fluid were lower in the sheep fed silage than those fed any hay. About hay, chemical composition and digestibility were not affected to molar ratio of VFA in rumen fluid. Concentration of total protein and glucose in blood plasma of sheep fed hay, which occured heating and moulding in storage, reduced significantly.
