Abstract
Use of corn silage has become very promising approach to provide long-term high quality and economical plant-based feed for ruminants Therefore, this two-year study was performed to determine the effect of harvesting stages and silage additives on the quality of corn silage. The study contained different harvesting stages (H-1: milking and H-2: dough) and variable silage additives (S-1: control S-2: 0.4% urea S-3: 4% molasses and S-4: urea (0.4%) + molasses (4%). Interaction between harvesting stages and silage additives had significant impact on plant characteristics, composition and fermentation quality of corn silage. Harvesting at milking stage with combined urea + molasses addition resulted in maximum crude protein (CP) (10.85%, 10.95%) and lowest fiber fractions; acid detergent fiber (ADF) (25.4 and 25.0%), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (43.6 and 42.9%) in both years. Likewise, the harvesting at milking stage with urea + molasses addition also resulted in lower cellulose (18.8 and 18.1%) and hemi-cellulose (18.0 and 18.1%) contents and maximum lactic acid concentration in both years. Interestingly, CP was negatively correlated with all the fiber fractions (ADF, NDF, cellulose and hemi-cellulose) and pH, whilst it had positive association with lactic acid. Moreover, all the fiber fractions (ADF, NDF, cellulose and hemi-cellulose) had the positive relationship with each other. In conclusion, harvesting at milking stage combined with urea (0.4%) + molasses (4%) addition improved the quality and fermentation characteristics of corn silage. (C) 2020 Friends Science Publishers