ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2014, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (3): 417-425.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2014.03.011

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Effect of Adding Ethanol and Molasses on Fermentation Quality of Mixed Silage of Oat and Alfalfa in Tibet

SUN Xiao-hui1,YUAN Xian-jun1,GUO Gang1,WEN Ai-you1,WANG Jian1,YU Cheng-qun2,SHAO Tao1*   

  1. (1.Institute of Ensiling and Processing of Grass,College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095, China;2.Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101, China)
  • Received:2013-09-11 Online:2014-03-23 Published:2014-03-23

Abstract:

The objective of this study was to improve the utilization efficiency of forage resources in Tibetan rural areas and to meet the forage need of herbivores during winter and spring.The fermentation quality of mixed silages of oat and alfalfa were investigated firstly.The results showed that the pH of all silages were maintained at about 4.10,the content of lactic acid increased with the increase of alfalfa percentage in mixed silages.Although the crude protein content increased significantly(P<0.05)with increasing proportion of alfalfa,the ratios of Ammonia /total nitrogen (AN/TN) in all mixed silages were more than 90 g·kg-1TN.In order to further improve the fermentation quality of mixed silage and inhibit degradation of crude protein during the ensiling process,mixed silage inclusion with 30% alfalfa was ensiled with 4% molasses,3.5% ethanol or the combination of molasses and ethanol,respectively.Molasses addition silages showed highest lactic acid content and the lowest pH value.Compared with the control,molasses addition significantly decreased acetic acid content and the value of AN/TN.Ethanol addition enhanced lactic acid production,decreased the propionic acid content and the pH and AN/TN,and significantly increased residual water souble carbohydrate(WSC) content.Compared with the molasses or ethanol alone addition silages,the combination of molasses and ethanol did not significantly improve fermentation quality of mixed silages.It was concluded that the addition of 4% molasses or 3.5% ethanol were effective and economical for improving the fermentation quality of oat silages inclusion with 30% alfalfa.

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