Preliminary studies on the conservation of whole sorghum and corn plant and sugar corn stover for silage

Authors

• J. Setälä Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71
• J. Seppälä Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71
• S. Pulli Department of Plant Husbandry, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72001

Abstract

The whole corn plant and sugar corn stover were ensiled in stacks covered with plastics and soil. Sorghum was ensiled in tower silo. The amounts of fodder ensiled were 2 500 kg, 3 100 kg and 1400 kg, respectively. All silages were chopped with a precision chopper and ensiled without preservatives. The feeding values of the silages were determined with sheep according to 2 X 3 X 3 Latin square design. Urea (0.3 % of the fresh weight) was added to the silages before feeding. An intense secondary fermentation was found in all silages. The possible causes for this were the soil contamination of the fodder during harvesting and the effluent remained in the stack silages. The secondary fermentation decreased the sugar content of the silages and increased the fermentation losses especially in the corn silage. However, the quality of the silages was fairly good. Urea decreased the palatability of the silages and it would be better to add the urea to the silages before the ensiling. The energy and DCP values of the silages were quite modest. There were 0.63, 0.72 and 0.69 f.u./kg silage DM in sorghum, corn and corn stover silages, respectively The corresponding values for DCP were 75, 62 and 86 g/kg silage DM (urea included).