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The effect of storage time on the voluntary intake of silage by sheep
Bryant AM, Lancaster RJ
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 30, pp 77-89, Jan 1970
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 30, pp 77-89, Jan 1970
Article class: Conference Presentation
Subject Terms: Abdomen, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Biochemistry/chemistry, Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Diet/rations/food, Hay/silage/balage, Nutrition/metabolism, Pasture/crop
Animal Type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Publisher: New Zealand Society of Animal ProductionAbstract
Three experiments are described in which pasture herbage and the silages resulting from the ensilage of the herbage for 4 and 180 days were stored frozen and subsequently fed to sheep. The herbage ensiled for 4 days (4-Day silage), was of low pH and contained appreciable amounts of ammonia, lactic and acetic acids. Ensilage for 180 days (180-Day silage) increased total acid content by 60 to 80% without obvious change in pH except in one experiment where a high pH, butyric acid silage was formed. The voluntary intake of 4-Day silage was similar to that of the pasture herbage, that of the 180-Day silage 15 to 30% lower. Differences in the digestibility of the rations were significant but not consistent over the three experiments. Low palatability or changes in the osmolality and volatile fatty acid content of rumen liquor were considered not to explain the low intake of 180-Day silage.The whole of the literary matter of the Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production is copyright New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Downloading this article signifies agreement with the terms and conditions of electronic access.