The Effects of Some Silage Additives in Sorghum Silage on the Silage Quality and Ruminal Degradabilities of Nutrients Ii - Ruminal Degradabilities of Nutrients

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of different silage additives on the ruminal degradability of sorghum silage. Different sorghum silages were prepared from sorghum harvested at the milk or dough stage (287.40 and 304.80 g/kg DM) with or without SIL-ALL (enzyme-inoculant complex; EI), molasses (M), formic acid (FA), M + FA, El + FA, El + M and El + FA + M additives in laboratory silos (glass jar I kg in volume) and incubated for two months. After incubation, the silos were opened and dry matter and ADF analyses were done. The dry matter and ADF degradabilities of the silages were determined in ruminally fistulated rams. Dry matter and ADF degradabilities varied among the silages throughout incubation (4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 h). While molasses addition into sorghum silage significantly increased in situ ruminal degradabilities of silages, the addition of FA decreased them (p < 0.01). It was concluded that the addition of molasses to sorghum silage prepared from sorghum harvested at the milk stage increased the in situ degradability of silage. However, high ruminal degradability can be achieved without an additives from sorghum harvested at the milk or dough stage.