Articles

Effect of Feeding Corn Stover Silage with FML Additive on Feed Digestibility in Female Sheep

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This study aimed to assess how female fat-tailed sheep respond to diets containing fresh corn stover and corn stover silage enhanced with Fermented Mother Liquor (FML) additives. The experiment involved 15 sheep with an average weight of 18.5 ± 1.55 kg, using a randomized group design (RAK) comprising three dietary treatments and five groups classified by body weight. The dietary treatments were: 100% fresh corn stover, a 50:50 mix of fresh corn stover and corn stover silage, and 100% corn stover silage. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA, and significant results were further examined with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The findings indicated that none of the treatments had a significant impact on the digestibility of Dry Matter (DMD), Organic Matter (OMD), or Crude Protein (CPD). It was concluded that the diet containing an equal mix of fresh and silage corn stover yielded the most favorable outcomes, although overall digestibility did not differ significantly across treatments. Consequently, corn stover silage with FML additives may serve as a practical alternative to fresh corn stover.

The Quality of Red Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Red) Silage at Different Harvest Ages and Addition Level of Lactobacillus plantarum

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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.