Effect of cassava chips on quality of silage from fresh forage sorghum plus Cavalcade forage legume hay mixtures

Authors

  • Suradej Pholsen Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
  • Chutchawal Yoottasanong Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
  • David E.B. Higgs School of Life Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(2)262-270

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the effects on silage quality of adding cassava chips at a range of levels to a sorghum forage plus Cavalcade legume hay mixture at ensiling at the Experimental Farm, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Cavalcade hay was 15% of chopped sorghum fresh weight and cassava chips were added at 0, 5, 10 and 15% of chopped sorghum fresh weight. The first experiment utilized sorghum and Cavalcade main crops and the second used the ratoon crop of sorghum and 2nd cut of Cavalcade. Dry matter percentage of ensiled mixtures and silages increased (P<0.05) with an increase in cassava chip levels in both experiments, but CP and NDF concentrations decreased (P<0.05). Dry matter degradability increased (P<0.05) with an increase in cassava chip levels up to 10% in both main and ratoon/2nd cut silages. Digestible energy and metabolizable energy of both silages increased significantly with an increase in cassava chip levels up to 10% for main crop and 15% for ratoon/2nd cut crops. While addition of cassava chips improved digestibility and energy content of silage, it lowered CP concentration. Use of fresh Cavalcade instead of hay should increase the CP levels and should be investigated along with animal feeding studies to test acceptance and animal performance.

Keywords: DMD, CP, sorghum silage, grass-legume silage, Centrosema pascuorum, silage additives.

DOI: 10.17138/TGFT(2)262-270

Author Biography

Suradej Pholsen, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon kaen

How to Cite

Pholsen, S., Yoottasanong, C., & Higgs, D. E. (2014). Effect of cassava chips on quality of silage from fresh forage sorghum plus Cavalcade forage legume hay mixtures. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 2(3), 262–270. https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(2)262-270

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Published

2014-09-24

Issue

Section

Research Papers