Leaf Silage Research Articles

Kajian Teknologi Konservasi Daun Ubikayu Sebagai Pakan Untuk Meningkatkan Efisiensi Usaha Sapi Potong

A study to get a package of conservation technology are ensilasi waste cassava leaves (made silage) and its use as feed which can improve the efficiency of  beefcattle business conducted in the District Central Lampung and South Lampung involving farmers who have been accustomed to cattle ranchers provide food waste to the cassava leaves cow. This assessment includes two (2) phases activities: 1) Assessment of technology ensilasi waste cassava leaves, and 2) study the utilization of cassava leaf silage as feed for cattle. In the first stage, technology ensilasi waste cassava leaf studied is ensilasi with three (3) types of additives, namely: (1) cassava (tapioca pulp), (2) rice bran, and (3) complete (cassava, rice bran, urea, molasses). Based on the analysis of the nutrient content of dry matter (DM),organic matter (BO) and crude protein (CP) resulting silage, waste ensilasi technology cassava leaves with rice bran additive onggok + + urea + molasses, with a ratio of 4-4-1-1 (Full silage) provide the best silage results, which can be stored up to 168 days (± 6 months). Furthermore, ensilasi technology is used to make silage were tested on beef cattle in the second stage of assessment; given to cattle bulls (3 heads / treatment) at a rate: 0% (control), 25%, 50% and 75% replaces the usual traditional feed by farmers, for 112 days. The results showed that the substitution of cassava leaf silage in traditional feed cattle could increase the total consumption (BK) feed and daily weight gain (PBBH) cattle. Further note that the substitution of silage at a rate of 50% of the total feed provides the optimal level of feed efficiency, up to 33%. From the results of this study can be concluded that the technology ensilasi waste cassava leaves with rice bran additive onggok + + urea + molasses, with a ratio of 4-4-1-1 (complete silage) and its use as a substitute 50% of traditional feed in beef cattle rations results The best. It is suggested, the technology can be in-the-dissemination to farmers in order to be adopted and, in turn, can impact business productivity improvement of beef cattle in the province of Lampung.Keywords: cassava, leaf waste, ensilasi, beef cattle

Effect of additives on fermentation of cassava leaf silage and ruminal fluid of west african dwarf goats

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality of ensiled cassava leaves and its effects on the ruminal fluid parameters using eighteen West African dwarf goats. Cassava leaves were ensiled alone (ECF), with 5 % (w/w) molasses (ECFM) and caged layer waste (ECFP) respectively as additives for 30 days. Results of chemical composition of the additive and non-additive silages indicated that ensiling with 5 % molasses reduced the DM content from 252.4 g/kg in ECF to 238.9 g/kg in ECFM and increased with 5 % caged layer waste (ECFP) to 267.6 g/kg. The CP content of ECF was 207.6 g/kg and this decreased to 198.5 g/kg DM in ECFM. Addition of molasses and caged layer waste caused a reduction in the HCN contents from 95.8 mg/kg in non-additive silage (ECF) to 89.3 mg/kg in ECFP and 84.7 mg/kg in ECFM. The mean pH of non-additive silage of 3.66 was significantly (p 0.05) in the pH, BC and lactic acid concentration in both the non- additive and additive silages. Ammonia-nitrogen concentration (NH3-N) however, ranged signi-ficantly (p<0.05) from 15.93 ± 0.20 (mg/dL) in ECF to 22.43 ± 0.61 (mg/dL) in ECFP. The study showed that ensiling cassava leaves with 5 % molasses and caged layer waste improved the silage conditions and the ruminal fluid parameters of West African Dwarf goats.

Effect of replacing soybean protein by taro leaf (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) protein on growth performance of exotic (Landrace × Yorkshire) and native (Moo Lath) Lao pigs

The impact of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with CP from ensiled taro leaves (ET) on growth performance, carcass traits, and organ weights in Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) and Moo Lath (ML) Lao pigs was studied. Twenty-four castrated male pigs, 12 of each breed, were allocated to the treatments according to a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial (three levels of ET × two breeds) arrangement with four pigs per treatment. The pigs were kept in individual pens and were fed at 4 % dry matter of body weight for 105 days. The control diet (ET0) was formulated with soybean meal as the main CP source, and in the other two diets, soybean CP was replaced to 25 % (ET25) and 50 % (ET50), respectively, with CP from ensiled taro leaves. Calculated metabolizable energy intake decreased with increasing replacement of soybean CP in the diet, while dry matter intake (DMI), CP intake (CPI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were unaffected. Carcass weight, back fat thickness, and dressing percentage were unaffected by soybean CP replacement, while organ weights (except for spleen) increased (P < 0.001) when soybean CP was replaced by CP from ensiled taro leaves in the diet. LY pigs had higher (P < 0.001) DMI, CPI, and ADG and better (P < 0.001) FCR than ML pigs. LY pigs had higher carcass weight (P < 0.001), lower back fat thickness (P < 0.001), and higher organ weights (P < 0.05-0.001) than the ML pigs. In conclusion, taro leaf silage can replace up to 50 % of soybean CP in the diet of growing Lao LY and ML pigs without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.

Barley and triticale underseeded with a kura clover living mulch: Effects on weed pressure, disease incidence, silage yield, and forage quality

Kosinski, S. M., King, J. R., Harker, K. N., Turkington, T. K. and Spaner, D. 2011. Barley and triticale underseeded with a kura clover living mulch: Effects on weed pressure, disease incidence, silage yield, and forage quality. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 677–687. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of seeding barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and triticale (×Triticosecale wittmack) into a living mulch of kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) on weed pressure, barley leaf disease levels, silage yield, and forage quality. Field studies were conducted at two locations in the Parkland region of Alberta, Canada, in 2006 and 2007. Barley and triticale were seeded, at three different soil nitrogen levels, into an established living mulch of kura clover that was either unsuppressed or chemically suppressed with glyphosate at 0.41 kg a.i. ha−1prior to cereal seeding. Barley and triticale sole crops were also included for comparison. The presence of the suppressed and unsuppressed kura clover living mulches significantly decreased weed pressure in 2007 and barley leaf disease incidence in 2006 and 2007. Silage DM yield of the cereal sole crops ranged from 5.18 to 7.02 Mg ha−1, compared with yields of 4.57 to 5.21 Mg ha−1from the unsuppressed living mulch treatments and from 3.95 to 6.00 Mg ha−1from the suppressed living mulch treatments. The kura clover increased the relative feed value of the silage. Based on these results, there is the potential for a suppressed kura clover living mulch to be utilized for cereal silage production in Alberta.

Effects of feeding garlic stem and leaf silage on rates of plasma leucine turnover, whole body protein synthesis and degradation in sheep

An experiment was conducted to assess the feeding effects of garlic stem and leaf silage on nitrogen (N) balance, ruminal fermentation patterns, rates of plasma leucine turnover (LeuTR), whole body protein synthesis (WBPS) and degradation (WBPD) in sheep using combined experiments of isotope dilution method of [1- 13C]leucine and N balance test. The experimental diets fed in this trial consisted of mixed hay (Hay-diet, as control) and hay plus garlic stem and leaf silage diet (GS-diet, at ratio of 9:1) in a crossover design for each 21 days period. The isotope dilution method using [1- 13C]leucine was performed on the 21th day of each dietary treatment for measuring plasma LeuTR. The use of garlic stem and leaf silage as a feed under current study did not show any metabolic and physiological disorders of animals. Nitrogen digestibility, N absorption and N retention were numerically higher in GS-diet than Hay-diet. Ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration did not differ between the diets but molar proportion of acetate was significantly lower ( P = 0.03), proportion of propionate was numerically higher and butyrate was tended to be higher ( P = 0.07) in GS-diet than Hay-diet. Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentration was significantly lower ( P < 0.01) and glucose concentration was greater ( P = 0.03) for GS-diet compared with Hay-diet. Feeding garlic silage numerically increased plasma LeuTR and WBPS in sheep. Although N retention, plasma LeuTR and WBPS did not differ significantly between the diets but numerically higher values imply that garlic stem and leaf silage may have positive impacts in N utilization without resulting in overall inhibition of ruminal fermentation and could be supplemented with basal diet in rearing sheep owing to its plenty of bioactive components.

Repetibilidade e respostas de características morfofisiológicas e produtivas de capim-elefante de porte baixo sob pastejo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar os coeficientes de repetibilidade, de determinação (R²) e o número mínimo de medições necessárias para predizer o valor real de variáveis morfofisiológicas e produtivas, bem como as respostas do capim-elefante de porte baixo ao pastejo com ovinos. O experimento foi realizadoem blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos - Taiwan A-146 2.27, Taiwan A-146 2.37, Taiwan A-146 2.114, Merker México MX 6.31 e Mott - e quatro repetições, ao longo de cinco ciclos de pastejo entre setembro de2008 e abril de 2009. Foram avaliados a altura média de plantas, o índice de área foliar (IAF), a interceptação luminosa (IL), os ângulos foliares médios (AFM), o acúmulo de forragem (AF) e a taxa de acúmulo de forragem(TAF). Para as variáveis IAF, IL e altura média de plantas, nos ciclos longos, foi necessária apenas uma medição (R² = 80%) para classificá-las como de mais fácil predição em clones de capim-elefante. Avaliações de AF e de TAF necessitam de períodos experimentais mais longos, para maior confiabilidade na estimativa dessas variáveis resposta. Dosséis de capim-elefante de porte baixo interceptam maior quantidade de radiação incidente, quanto maior for a altura média das plantas e o IAF.

Tropical crop and crop by-product additives can improve the quality of taro leaf (Colocasia esculenta) silage

SUMMARYThe nutritive value of taro leaf (Colocasia esculenta) silage, with or without various crop or crop byproducts as additives, was evaluated in two experiments in Western Samoa in 1988 and 1989. In Experiment 1, laboratory silos were used to assess the quality of eight taro leaf silages which were either ensiled fresh or wilted overnight. Taro leaf ensiled alone was poorly preserved with a pH of 5·4 and high concentrations of ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids. In contrast, silages with crop byproduct additives rich in water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), mainly molasses, ripe banana or papaya pulp, were of high quality with pH levels ofc. 4 and low concentrations of volatiles. Copra meal, although low in WSC, was able to produce a satisfactory silage when added to taro leaf through its ability to restrict fermentation.Despite only a small increase (14·2%) in silage dry matter (DM) content, wilting of taro leaves resulted in silage of significantly higher quality than that made from fresh leaves. Most of the benefit of wilting was attributed to better fermentation conditions rather than a restricted fermentation.Two of the better silages from Experiment 1, taro/molasses and taro/banana, were prepared on a larger scale in earth pits and fed to goats in a second experiment. Both silages were highly palatable and digestible; DM intakes of 47 and 63 g/kg W0·75per day and organic matter digestibilities of 69·0 and 74·9% were recorded for the banana and molasses silages, respectively.It was concluded that taro leaf is a suitable forage for ensilage, and when combined with additives rich in WSC, a forage of high nutritive value can be produced.

FACTORS INFLUENCING DRY MATTER INTAKE AND UTILIZATION OF CORN SILAGE BY LACTATING COWS

Moisture content, hay supplementation and energy content of corn silages were studied as factors affecting dry matter (DM) intake and utilization by lactating cows. In experiment I, a two-week delay in date of harvest resulted in an increase in DM content of silage for the two varieties of corn, but this was associated with significantly greater (P &lt; 005) DM intake and fat-corrected milk production for only the earlier-maturing variety (Pride 5). Harvest date had no influence on solids-not-fat (SNF) content of the milk or body weight, but silage from Pride 5 corn resulted in a significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher SNF content and greater loss in body weight. In experiment II, feeding 4.7 kg of hay per day significantly reduced (P &lt; 0.05) silage dry-matter intake and increased total ration dry-matter intake but did not change milk production or composition when compared with feeding 2.3 kg of hay per day. In experiment III, ear silage, stalk and leaf silage and hay were compared as a source of roughage for lactating cows. Total ration dry-matter intake was significantly greater (P &lt; 0.05) for hay fed alone, but milk production was apparently higher when the ear silage was fed.