Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
- Volume 7 Issue 4
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- Pages.591-596
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- 1994
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- 1011-2367(pISSN)
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- 1976-5517(eISSN)
DOI QR Code
EFFECT OF HARVEST INTERVALS ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF NAPIER GRASS (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) SILAGES FOR GOATS
- Yokota, H. (Laboratory of Grassland Science, The Farm, School of Agricultural Science, Nagoya University) ;
- Okajima, T. (Laboratory of Grassland Science, The Farm, School of Agricultural Science, Nagoya University) ;
- Ohshima, M. (Laboratory of Grassland Science, The Farm, School of Agricultural Science, Nagoya University)
- Received : 1993.11.29
- Accepted : 1994.07.29
- Published : 1994.12.01
Abstract
Chemical composition and nutritive values of napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) silages subjected to two cutting intervals were studies; 1st harvest in July (A), and 2nd (B) and 1st (C) harvests in November. Each forage was ensiled with 4% molasses in plastic bags and stored for 5 or 9 months. A feeding experiment with castrated goats was conducted from April to June of the following year. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) content of the harvests varied from 9.5 to 22.8% and 6.6 to 13.6% of DM, respectively. The dry matter content of the silages fed to the goats were 13.0 to 24.4%, because some effluent was removed from each silage before the feeding trial. The pH values of the silages were between 4.03 and 4.29. Goats were given sufficient silage to meet maintenance nitrogen requirements from napier grass silage. Silage C was not completely consumed, and the silage had low digestibilities of DM, CP, hemicellulose and cellulose. Nitrogen balance was slightly positive for goats consuming silage B and was negative for goats consuming silages A and C. Nitrogen utilization was discussed in terms of ruminal