Studies on the evaluation of dry matter content and feeding value in silage, 6: Estimation and application of toluene distillation method, freeze drying method and gas chromatography for moisture determination
1993
Uchida, S. (Okayama Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture)
In order to estimate the effectiveness of some improved methods for accurate determination of moisture in silage, the quantities of moisture in fresh herbage and silage were determined by: acid-corrected toluene distillation (TD); freeze drying at -50 degrees C under pressure of less than 0.005 mm Hg for 24 hr (FD); gas chromatography according to Burdick and McHan (GC); and by oven drying (OD) as a control. Moisture contents of fresh herbage and resulted silage samples of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) were analyzed in five replicates by OD, TD, FD and GC, respectively. All the samples;had highest values in OD and lowest values in GC for moisture contents. There was considerable difference in moisture content of the silages among the analytical methods, but no marked difference in moisture level of the fresh herbages was found among the methods. In addition, significant differences between TD and FD were not detected in moisture content of all the samples. The result suggests that the application of these improved techniques is effective for the accurate determination of moisture in silage
اظهر المزيد [+] اقل [-]