ศูนย์นวัตกรรมเทคโนโลยีหลังการเก็บเกี่ยว

Ensiling characteristics and utilization of switchgrass preserved as silage.

Burns, J. C.; Fisher, D. S.; Pond, K. R.;

Postharvest Biology and Technology Year: 1993 Vol: 3 Issue: 4 Pages: 349-359 Ref: 19 ref.

1993

บทคัดย่อ

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) harvested at several maturities was readily ensiled when directly cut and stored at a DM concentration of about 250 g/kg or wilted and stored at a DM concentration of about 350 g/kg. Silage pH ranged from 4.6 to 5.1 for all treatments with acetic and lactic acids predominating. Acetic acid concentrations in direct cut silage were double the concentrations in wilted silage while lactic acid concentrations were similar. Forage at ensiling was high in cell walls (694 to 743 g/kg) and low in crude protein (53 to 63 g/kg). Silage was stable when direct cut or wilted and well preserved when air was excluded. Forage artificially-dried (hay) or when ensiled (direct cut or wilted) did not alter DM intake (kg/100 kg body weight of steers) which averaged 1.48 for the late boot stage and 1.41 when fully mature. Apparent digestion coefficients for DM and cell wall constituents of fully headed switchgrass showed no difference when preserved as hay or silage. However, digestion c

oefficients from wilted silage were lower than from direct cut silage for DM, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and cellulose. Results indicate that switchgrass can be preserved through fermentation with best results from immediate ensiling.