Effect of Additives and Fermentation Periods on Chemical Composition and In situ Digestion Kinetics of Mott Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage

Nisa, Mahr-un-; Touqir, N. A.; Sarwar, M.; Khan, M. Ajmal; Akhtar, Mumtaz

doi:2005.18.6.812

Article

Animal Breeding and Genetics

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2005;18(6): 812-815.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2005.812 Published online November 26, 2005.

Effect of Additives and Fermentation Periods on Chemical Composition and In situ Digestion Kinetics of Mott Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage

Mahr-un- Nisa, N. A. Touqir, M. Sarwar, M. Ajmal Khan, Mumtaz Akhtar

Abstract

This study was conducted to see the influence of additives and fermentation periods on Mott grass silage (MGS) characteristics, its chemical composition and to compare the digestion kinetics of Mott grass (MG) and MGS in Nili buffaloes. Mott grass chopped with a locally manufactured chopper was ensiled using two additives, cane molasses and crushed corn grains each at 2, 4 and 6% of forage DM for 30 and 40 days in laboratory silos. The pH, lactic acid concentration, dry matter (DM), crude protein and fiber fractions of MGS were not affected by the type or level of additive and fermentation periods. The non-significant pH lactic acid concentration, and chemical composition of MGS indicated that the both molasses and crushed corn were utilized at similar rate for the growth of lactic acid bacteria and production of organic acids. The MG ensiled with molasses at 2% of fodder DM for 30 days was screened out for in situ digestion kinetics in Nili buffaloes. Ruminal DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradabilities of MGS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of MG. The DM and NDF rate of degradation, lag time and extent of degradation was nonsignificant between MGS and MG. The higher ruminal degradation of DM and NDF of MGS than MG was probably a reflection of fermentation of MG during ensilation that improved its degradability by improving the availability of easily degradable structural polysaccharides to ruminal microbial population. The results in the present study have indicated that MG ensiled with either 2% molasses or 2% crushed corn for 30 days has better nutritive value for buffalo.

Keywords: In situ Digestion Kinetics; Mott Grass; Buffalo; Silage