On the effect of growth stage on the nutritive value of silage
2003
Vadi, M. | Kaldmae, H. | Kirsel, R. (Estonian Agricultural University, Tartu (Estonia))
The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of the stage of maturity of plants, cut for ensiling, on nutritive value and digestibility of silages. For that reason, the chemical composition and the in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility of 173 silage samples were determined. The silages were prepared from grasses, red clover mixed with grasses (50 per cent red clover), and red clover rich (75 per cent red clover) grasses at the stage of ear formation, early flowering and full flowering. Delayed ensiling had a significant effect on the chemical composition and nutritive value of grass silages. From the ear formation to the early flowering, the crude fibre content increased by 4.8 per cent and NDF by 9.3 per cent whereas the crude protein content decreased by 2.9 per cent and the in vitro organic matter digestibility by 12.9 per cent (P0.001), respectively. The nutritive value of silages, prepared from red clover mixed with grasses, decreased more slowly. In red clover rich (75 per cent red clover) grass silages the organic matter digestibility decreased by 12.3 per cent (P0.001) from the bud formation to the full flowering
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