1995 Volume 40 Issue 4 Pages 420-428
This study was carried out to investigate the fermentative quality and nutritive value of napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) ensiled with wheat-mill-run (WMR). Two batches of napier grass, which were harvested in July (dry matter (DM) : 11.4%) and in September (DM : 16.5%) for 1st cutting, were ensiled with and without 15% of WMR at fresh grass basis. Silage effluent was found only in the silage ensiled without WMR in the harvest in July, but not found in the silage ensiled with WMR and in silages from the harvest of September. Wheat-mill-run supplementation decreased pH value of the silage on July, and decreased acetic acid content and ratio of ammonia-nitrogen to total nitrogen of silages in both July and September. In feeding trials by goats WMR was supplemented to the silage ensiled without it, so that intakes of the ensiled grass itself and WMR were the same between groups fed the silage ensiled with and without WMR. Digestibilities of organic matter, dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber, and nitrogen retention were lower in goats fed the silage ensiled with WMR than those fed the silage ensiled without WMR and supplemented it at feeding. Retained nitrogen over absorbed nitrogen by goats was significantly (p<0.05) lower in goats fed the silage ensiled with WMR than those fed the silage ensiled without WMR. These results were thought to come from the higher ammonia nitrogen concentration in ruminal fluids in the former group of goats. Wheat-mill-run supplementation to the napier grass of high moisture content was effective in reducing the silage effluent, but it was accompanied by a reduction of nitrogen utilization of the silage in goats.
