Original scientific paper

FEEDING VALUE OF GRASS SILAGES BASED ON DRY MATTER CONCENTRATION

Marina Vranić orcid.org/0000-0001-6280-0116 ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Mladen Knežević ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Krešimir Bošnjak ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Goran Perčulija ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Leto ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Hrvoje Kutnjak ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Lujanac ; Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Total of 477 grass silage samples of different origin and quality were analysed by NIR spectroscopy to determine crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), digestible organic matter (OM) in the dry matter (DM) (D-value), metabolizable energy (ME), pH value and the ammonium nitrogen (NH3-N). According to DM content (g kg-1 fresh sample), the samples were divided into 8 classes: (1)> 228; (2) 229-313; (3) 314-398; (4) 399-483; (5) 484-568; (6) 569-653; (7i) 654-738; (8) <739. DM increase was followed by a significant (P<0.005) decrease in CP, D-value and ME and an increase (P>0.005) in NDF and pH value. It was concluded that increased DM concentration in silage samples was not a result of –grass wilting before ensiling but of advanced grass maturity at harvest.

Keywords

grass silage; grass maturity; dry matter; chemical composition

Hrčak ID:

62011

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/62011

Publication date:

9.12.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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