The Effects of Formic Acid or Formic Acid Plus Molasses Additives on the Fermentation Quality and DM and ADF Degradabilities of Grass Silage

Authors : Erol BAYTOK

Pages : 425-431

View : 17 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of formic acid and formic acid plus molasses additives on the grass silage fermentation characteristics and degradability of dry matter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(DM); and acid-detergent fibre insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ADF);. Grasses were cut in early insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(experiment I);, middle insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(experiment II); and late maturity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(experiment III);. The additive treatments in experiments I, II and III were: 1); Untreated; 2); 0.5% Formic acid insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FA);; 3); FA+2% molasses; 4); FA+4% molasses; and 5); FA+6% molasses. The silages were ensiled in jar silos insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1 L); and DM and ADF degradability were determined by using the nylon bag technique in the rumens of four fistulated sheep. Increasing formic acid plus molasses decreased the ADF and neutral detergent fibre insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(NDF); content of silages as compared with FA and untreated silages in experiments I, II and III insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p < 0.001);. Formic acid plus molasses silages were well preserved with low pH insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4.62, 4.51, 4.54);, high lactic insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(30.62, 32.20, 28.54 g kg-1 DM); and acetic acid insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(19.21, 21.46, 20.65 g kg-1 DM ); and low butyric acid insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3.81, 2.19, 1.43 g kg-1 DM ); as compared with untreated silages insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(pH: 5.12, 5.35, 5.36; lactic acid: 20.70, 21.47, 15.21g kg-1 DM; acetic acid: 14.32, 15.88, 11.28 g kg-1 DM; butyric acid: 4.50, 3.47, 6.68 g kg-1 DM in experiments I, II and III, respectively);. However, silage fermentation quality was not at the optimal level. The FA silages were moderately preserved with more restricted fermentation than the formic acid plus molasses and untreated groups. In experiments I, II and III, significant differences were noticed between untreated and other silages in respect of DM degradability. ADF degradability was not affected by the silage treatments at 4, 16 and 24 h, but was significantly insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p < 0.01 or p < 0.001); affected at other times.
Keywords : Grass silage, formic acid, molasses, silage fermentation, degradability