• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.340-344
• /
• 2005

In high-income Asian countries like Korea and Japan, per capita rice consumption has declined because of the change in consumer' favorite foods from rice to high-cost quality foods. This has forced farmers to reduce rice production. Although fodder rice could be another option to be cultured by farmers, available information concerning rice grain silage has been limited. In the present study, therefore, the difference in the quality of fodder rice silage prepared from either whole crop or grain at different ripening stages was compared. Various supplements were also added into whole crop and grain silages of fodder rice before ensiling, and thereafter, the palatability of prepared silages was determined by beef cattle. At ear emergence stage, the pH values for both grain and whole crop silages were approximately 4.5. In both grain and whole crop silages, the pH values were significantly increased by progressing ripening stages from milk-ripe stage to yellow-ripe stages, and the increase in pH value for grain silage was faster than that for whole crop silage. In the grain silage, the higher lactic acid (LA) content in grain silage seemed to be, the lower pH value was. Both in grain and whole crop silages, pH was significantly decreased by supplementation with LA bacteria. There were no significant differences in feed intake among any treatment groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 1997

Six medium-framed steers, fitted with ruminal cannulas, were utilized in a $6{\times}6$ Latin square design with a $3{\times}2$ arrangement of treatments to determine the effects of sorghum hybrid and grain supplementation on nutrient digestibilities and passage rates and ruminal metabolism of silage-based diets fed to growing steers. The diets consisted of three wholes-plant silages (a high grain-containing, grain sorghum and middle-season, moderate grain-containing, and late-season, low grain-containing forage sorghums), each fed with or without 25% rolled grain sorghum. No significant interactions occurred between sorghum hybrid and grain supplementation for the digestion or passage rate criteria measured. Ruminal butyrate concentration was the only fermentation characteristic affected by a hybrid ${\times}$ grain supplementation interaction. The grain sorghum silage diets had the highest DM, OM, and ADF digestibilities; the late-season silage diets, the lowest. Digestibility of NDF tended to be highest (p < 0.10) for the grain sorghum silage, whereas starch digestibility was not affected by sorghum hybrid. Ruminal ammonia, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total VFA concentrations were highest for the grain sorghum silage diets. Grain supplementation increased DM and OM digestibilities, but had no effect on digestibilities of NDF, ADF, and starch. Ruminal pH was decreased, but total VFA concentration and acetate : propionate ratio were not affected by grain supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.19 no.spc
• /
• pp.144-147
• /
• 2011

The main nutritional problem of sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor${\times}$Sorghum sudanese) silage is low quality and palatability. This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether organic com grain and crushed rice addition of sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silage increases forage quality of the silage. The sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silages with added com grain and crushed rice were similar to conventional com silage in moisture content. However organic sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silage had low pH values. Silage added with gain and byproduct had higher crude ash, acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents than control com silages, while its non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) showed the opposite results. Lactic acid, butyric acid and lactic percentage of total organic acid (L/T) of sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silages were higher than those of com silage, but acetic acid was higher than control. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of com silage was higher than other sorghum silages. Feed intake of sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silage added with crushed rice was highest among silages. Therefore, these data indicate that crushed rice and com grain added sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid silage could be recommended as the most effective treatment for increasing silage quality and palatability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.373-377
• /
• 2007

Alfalfa silage and corn silage are the major dairy feeds in most dairy operations in Michigan, USA. In recent years, the need to improve digestible fiber and dry matter intake of forages to meet the nutrient requirements of high yielding dairy cows and the willingness to plant corn specifically for silage has led plant breeders to focus on the brown mid-rib (BMR) trait. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different ratio of alfalfa to BMR corn silage and ration level of forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) on animal performance of lactating cows in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This study was conducted at the Upper Peninsula Experiment Station of Michigan State University in Chatham, Michigan, USA. Two different ratios of forage type (high alfalfa silage/low BMR corn silage, AS, and high BMR corn silage/low alfalfa silage, BMRCS) and two different dietary NDF contents (27% NDF, 27 = low forage/high grain feeding, and 33% NDF, 33 = high forage/low grain feeding) were used. The experimental design was a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square with 20 milking cows (12 multiparous and 8 primiparous). This trial had four 21-day periods with 14 d adaptation and 7 d data collection. Milk yield and body condition score (BCS) on the AS-27, BMRCS-27 and BMRCS-33 treatments were significantly (p<0.05) higher than on the AS-33 treatment. Dry matter intake of the AS-27 and BMRCS-27 treatments was significantly (p<0.05) higher than for the AS-33 and BMRCS-33 treatments. Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) on the AS-33 treatment was significantly (p<0.05) higher than on the other diet treatments. A key finding of this study was that the BMRCS-33 (higher amounts of brown mid-rib corn silage than alfalfa silage, high forage and low grain feeding diet at 33% NDF) led to the equal highest milk production whilst having the equal lowest dry matter intake. This study demonstrated that the diet with higher ratio of highly digestible NDF forage such as brown mid-rib corn silage to alfalfa silage could lower grain feeding in the ration.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.112-119
• /
• 2018

This study aimed to determine the optimal harvesting time for wheat to make grain silage, in Honam region of Korea. We harvested wheat grain every third day from 30 to 42 days after heading (DAH). The moisture content decreased from 61.6% at 30 DAH to 42.8% at 42 DAH. Yield of wheat grain significantly increased from 30 to 42 DAH (p< 0.05). Yield at 39 DAH (3.46T/ha) was not significantly different from that at 42 DAH (p< 0.05). With respect to the feed value of wheat grain silage, the amount of crude protein, crude fiber, and crude ash was different by harvesting time (p< 0.05). However, the amount of total digestible nutrients (TDN) from 30 and 42 DAH was not significantly different. The pH of wheat grain silage from 30 to 42 DAH was between 3.8 and 4.5 and it was stable until 39 DAH (p< 0.05). The lactic acid content of wheat grain silage from 30 to 42 DAH decreased from 3.08% to 1.10%. With respect to moisture content, yield, feed value, and fermentation, the optimal harvesting time for wheat grain silage was 39 DAH.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2017

This study aimed to determine the optimal harvesting time for covered barley to make grain silage, in Honam region of Korea. We harvested six varieties of barley every third day from 24 to 42 days after heading (DAH). The moisture content decreased from 62.4% at 24 DAH to 24% at 42 DAH. The moisture content at 36 DAH was 44.3%; however, moisture content at 39 and 42 DAH was lower than 40%. Yield of covered barley significantly increased from 24 to 42 DAH (p < 0.05). Yield at 36 DAH (557 kg/10a) was not significantly different from that at 39 and 42 DAH (p < 0.05). With respect to the feed value of barley grain silage, the amount of crude fiber and crude ash was different by harvesting time (p < 0.05). However, the amount of crude protein, crude fat, and total digestible nutrients (TDN) from 24 and 42 DAH was not significantly different. The pH of grain silage from 24 to 42 DAH was between 3.8 and 4.2 and it was stable until 36 DAH (p < 0.05). However, the pH of grain silage at 39 and 42 DAH was 5.2 and 5.8, respectively, which was higher than the pH of silage with good fermentation quality. The lactic acid content of barley grain silage from 24 to 42 DAH decreased from 5.5% to 0.5% (p < 0.05). The amount of lactic acid at 36 DAH was higher than that at 39 and 42 DAH (p < 0.05). With respect to moisture content, yield, feed value, and fermentation, the optimal harvesting time for grain silage of covered barley was 36 DAH. This could increase the use efficiency of harvesting machine for barley and reduce the harvesting time gap between whole barley silage and grain silage in Korea. Moreover, using barley grain silage for animal feed could reduce the import of corn.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.161-164
• /
• 1990

Ninety six Rambouillet ${\times}$ Kaghani intact male lambs of 18 months of age were divided into 6 groups of 16 lambs each, groups being G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5 and G-6. Average liveweight of animals on different treatments at day 0 of the experiment was G-1 (24.68 S.D 3.35), G-2 (24.56 S.D 2.55), G-3 (24.53 S.D 2.90), G-4 (24.51 S.D 3.38), G-5 (24.58 S.D 3.58) and G-6 (24.81 S.D 3.43). Animals on treatment G-1 were fed only maize silage ad libitum, G-2 had been offered maize silage ad libitum plus 4.8 kg of commercial concentrate (Sona Vanda) per group, G-3 maize silage ad libitum plus 4.8 kg of crushed maize grain per group. G-4 lambs were fed oat silage ad libitum plus 4.8 kg of crushed maize per group, G-5 oat silage plus 4.8 kg of commercial concentrate per group and G-6 only oat silage ad libitum. The results showed highly significant differences (p<0.01) among treatment groups in silage intake throughout the feeding trial. G-2 group showed the highest silage intake while treatment G-4 showed the lowest silage intake for the first two months and treatment G-6 for the last two months. The results of growth rates (g/d/animal) showed that treatments G-1 and G-6, where no supplementation was given, had a weight loss throughout the feeding trial. However, weight loss in treatment G-6 was more severe than treatment G-1. Treatments G-2, G-3, G-4 and G-5 all showed weight gain however, treatment G-2 had the most gain. G-2 group also showed the highest wool production while G-6 the lowest. These results indicated that silage when made from full bloom crops of oats and silage fed alone without any supplementation causes weight loss in sheep. Supplementation with concentrates having 19% CP is far better than the crushed maize grain and maize silage is better than oats silage. Maize silage is superior than oat silage however, better performance could be expected if silages were made at the early bloom (dough) stage of plant maturity. The results indicate that treatment G-2 shows highest response while treatment G-6 the lowest. So the response of different treatments on both the parameters of weight gain and wool production is almost similar.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.60 no.2
• /
• pp.174-179
• /
• 2015

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimal harvesting time for barley and wheat grain for the production of fermented grain feeds, and to investigate their fermentation quality according to harvesting time. As a result, grain moisture content was decreased with late harvest, whereas spike weight ratio and 1000 grain weight were increased with prolonged period after heading. Grain yielding was increased with late harvesting time significantly at p<0.05. Crude protein content was increased with late harvesting time, but crude fiber content was decreased. Crude fat and ash content were slightly decreased, but not statistically significant. Comparing the effects of fermentation on feed value of winter cereal grain, the approximate compositions were slightly increased after fermentation, but the difference was not significant. Fermentations resulted in increasing the pH value of winter cereal grain silage with late harvesting time, but decreasing the lactic acid content (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in acetic acid, and butyric acid was not detected. Considering the quantity and quality of fermentation, barley and wheat can be used for winter cereal grain silage when they were harvested at 35 days and 40-45 days after heading, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.471-478
• /
• 2012

The role of moisture absorptive capacity of pre-silage material and its relationship with silage effluent in high moisture by-product feedstuffs (HMBF) is assessed. The term water retention capacity which is sometimes used in explaining the rate of effluent control in ensilage may be inadequate, since it accounts exclusively for the capacity of an absorbent incorporated into a pre-silage material prior to ensiling, without consideration to how much the pre-silage material can release. A new terminology, 'potential water retention capacity' (PWRC), which attempts to address this shortcoming, is proposed. Data were pooled from a series of experiments conducted separately over a period of five years using laboratory silos with four categories of agro by-products (n = 27) with differing moisture contents (highest 96.9%, lowest 78.1% in fresh matter, respectively), and their silages (n = 81). These were from a vegetable source (Daikon, Raphanus sativus), a root tuber source (potato pulp), a fruit source (apple pomace) and a cereal source (brewer's grain), respectively. The pre-silage materials were adjusted with dry in-silo absorbents consisting wheat straw, wheat or rice bran, beet pulp and bean stalks. The pooled mean for the moisture contents of all pre-silage materials was 78.3% (${\pm}10.3$). Silage effluent decreased (p<0.01), with increase in PWRC of pre-silage material. The theoretical moisture content and PWRC of pre-silage material necessary to stem effluent flow completely in HMBF silage was 69.1% and 82.9 g/100 g in fresh matter, respectively. The high correlation (r = 0.76) between PWRC of ensiled material and silage effluent indicated that the latter is an important factor in silage-effluent relationship.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.511-516
• /
• 2007

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of differently maturing corn hybrids on silage production and milk production per unit area in the northern part of Japan, where grain development occurs under decreasing ambient temperature. Both hybrids were harvested at the same time. The stages of maturity for the early-maturing hybrids (EH; 80 d relative maturity) and the mid-maturing hybrids (MH; 93 d relative day) were early dent and late dough stage, respectively. The plant yields for MH were higher than those for EH. The dry matter (DM) content of MH was lower than that for EH, and the effluent loss for MH silage was greater than that for EH silage. Therefore, the DM yields of prepared silage per area were similar for both treatments. Twelve multiparous mid-lactation Holstein cows ($58{\pm}13$ days in milk) were fed diets based on EH or MH silage in a crossover design with two 3-week periods. Cows were fed 3 kg of hay crop silage (DM basis) and either EH or MH silage ad libitum, and concentrates were supplied to meet NRC requirement for dairy cows. Silage DM intake for EH was found to be higher (p<0.05) than that for MH (10.0 vs. 9.1 kg/day). Milk production and milk composition for EH were similar to those for MH. Feed efficiency per total feed intake was similar in both treatments, although the feed efficiency per concentrate intake tended to be higher for the EH than that for the MH diet. These results indicate that differences in maturation in corn hybrids affect the effluent production of silage and the silage intake of dairy cows. It may be advantageous to plant early hybrid corn with a reduction in effluent production of silage as well as a reduction in purchased feed costs for dairy cows under the climatic conditions of the northern part of Japan.