The nutritive value of ensiled forages cut at three stages of growth

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Abstract

Twelve male adult Black Head Persian sheep were used in a digestibility and feed intake trial to evaluate maize, guinea grass and jaragua grass silages. The forages were cut at the pre-anthesis, anthesis and post-anthesis stages of growth. Dry matter (DM), pH and ammonia nitrogen of the silages were also determined.
Maize silage had a lower mean pH than the 2 grass silages. The organic matter digestibility (OMD), crude protein digestibility (CPD) and crude fibre digestibility (CFD) were higher in maize silage than in the 2 grasses. Guinea grass silage had a significantly (P < 0.01) higher OMD, CPD and CFD than jaragua grass silage. Silages made from herbage harvested at the pre-anthesis stage had a significantly (P < 0.01) higher OMD, CPD and CFD than those made from herbage harvested at the post-anthesis stage of growth. Maize silage was superior at all stages of growth, except at pre-anthesis, to the 2 grass silages. Both jaragua and guinea grass produced good silage when herbage was harvested at the pre-anthesis and anthesis stages of growth.

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