Tag Archive for: harvest ages

This study aimed at evaluating the pH, nutrient content and nutrient loss of silage that were made of different ages Red Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Red) and the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum. The experiment employed Nested Completely Randomized Factorial Design consisted 2 treatment factors i.e. the grass of 50, 60, 70 and 80 harvested days after planting as first factor and the addition of three levels of Lactobacillus plantarum i.e. 0, 10³ and 10⁶ cfu/g as second factor. Each factor combination was replicated 3 times. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). It was found that harvest ages did not affect pH (p>0.05) but level of L plantarum significantly (p<0.05) affect silage pH measured at day 7 and highly significantly (p<0.01) affect pH at day 14, and 21. L plantarum significantly (p<0.05) affect DM loss, and highly significant (P<0,01) affect OM loss, while the different harvesting ages gave highly significant (P<0,01) affect CP loss.The higher level of L. plantarum can increase the DM, CP and decrease levels of CF, NDF and ADF. It can be concluded that interaction between Red Napier grass of 50 harvested days after planting and addition of L. plantarum 10⁶ cfu/g produced the good quality silage based on the relatively low weight loss of DM, OM and CP.