This study was to determine the quality of different silages
made from fresh corn stover. Such silages were made from corn
stover alone (CSS), or with 3% molasses (CSSM) or with 5%
granulated corn grain (CSSG) forming three silage treatments.
Parameter studies were silage chemical composition, its color, smell,
pH value, lactic acid, volatile fatty acids (VFA,s) and NH3-N as well
as in vitro dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility.
Rams were used to determine their nutritive values and rumen
activity.
The lactation performance of dairy cattle that fed the silages
mentioned above plus concentrate mixture (1:1) was also determined.
Eighteen Friesian crossbred cows at 2nd to 4th lactation seasons with
mean live body weight (LBW) of 460 kg were distributed into three
similar groups. Parameters studied were rations digestibility and
feeding values, milk yield and composition, feed intake, feed
efficiency as well as a simple economic evaluation.
Results indicated that, the corn stover silages with additives
contained more crude protein percentage (CP%), lactic acid and total
VFA,s and less NH3-N compared with silage without additive. The
additives of corn stover silage significantly (P<0.05) improved the
digestibility of OM, CP and nitrogen free extract (NFE) compared to
CSS. Feeding values followed the same pattern. Milk yield, fat
corrected milk (FCM) and all milk components significantly
increased with rations containing silage with additives (R2 and R3)
compared to control ration CSS (R1). No significant differences were
detected between the dietary rations regarding feed intake or feed
efficiency. The economic efficiency was significantly higher for the
ration containing silage with additives (R2 and R3) compared to
control ration CSS (R1).