Keith K. Bolsen

EFFECTS OF MOLASSES/UREA AND BACTERIAL INOCULANT ADDITIVES ON SILAGE QUALITY, DRY MATTER RECOVERY, AND FEEDING VALUE FOR CATTLE

Abstract Eight forage sorghum silages were direct-cut in the mid- to hard-dough stages and ensiled in concrete stave silos in a total of three experiments. Treatments were: control (C), no additive; molasses—urea—mineral mixture (NPN), applied at a rate of 17–20 g kg−1 of fresh crop; and bacterial inoculant (INOC), applied at a rate of 5 g kg−1 of fresh crop (INOC not included in Experiment 2). The average recovery of NPN added nitrogen (N) was 90.8% for the three experiments. NPN silage had higher pH, total N, ammonia-N, and dry matter (DM) loss from the stave silos. INOC silage, when compared to the control, had higher lactic acid and lower acetic acid contents, which gave higher lactic to acetic ratios (L:A). The higher L:A and lower also DM loss suggests that the INOC silages underwent a more efficient fermentation than C silages. In Experiments 1 and 2 there were no significant differences between treatments in respect of daily gain, DM intake, or DM conversion. In Experiment 3, the NPN silage produced faster (P 0.05) gains as the control silage. NPN silage had the highest (P 0.05). Dry matter conversion was numerically improved by the silage treatments, but similar (P > 0.05) to the control. When the cattle performance data were pooled over the three experiments by pen, average daily gain and DM conversion were similar (P 0.05) to the control silage.

Forage sorghum silage dry matter disappearance as influenced by plant part proportion

Abstract Forage sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is widely grown for silage in the High Plains region of the U.S.A. The in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) dynamics of forage sorghum silage, as influenced by the proportion of ensiled plant parts, were examined. Five mid- to late-season forage hybrids were grown at Manhattan, Kansas, on a Smolan silty clay loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Agriustoll) in 1987. The hybrids were harvested at the hard dough stage of maturity. Grain yields ranged from 4.18 to 5.23 Mg ha −1 , and silage yields from 13.72 to 16.45 Mg ha −1 . At ensiling, five plants per hybrid were separated into grain, leaf, sheath and stalk parts, chopped, put into nylon bags and ensiled with their respective silages in pilot silos. The distribution of dry matter (g kg −1 ) among the plant parts was grain 282–413, leaf 208–229, sheath 107–170, stalk 195–401. The pH of each silage and plant part was determined at silo opening. The IVDMDs of plant parts were grain 769, leaf 577, sheath 527 and stalk 608 g kg −1 , and ranged from 582 to 617 g kg −1 for silages. For each silage, each plant part was individually increased to unity, then the IVDMD dynamics were plotted. The silages were reconstituted and the IVDMD determined. These ranged from 633 to 677 g kg −1 . Statistically, the reconstituted silage IVDMD is the sum of the plant part IVDMD values, but the actual silage IVDMD was not. Regression equations were generated to predict silage IVDMD based on the proportion of plant parts for each hybrid. Grain had the greatest and a positive effect on silage IVDMD dynamics, whereas the sheath component had a negative effect.

The effects of moisture concentration and type on quality characteristics of alfalfa hay baled under two density regimes in a model system

Abstract Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) hay was packaged in laboratory-scale bales at nine moisture concentrations (250 to 358 g kg −1 ). Five concentrations were obtained from the field during initial dehydration, and four were obtained during the accumulation of dew at night. In the first study, bale density was increased as bale moisture increased (floating density; FD), thereby mimicking the confounded nature of these variables commonly observed with field-scale equipment. In the other study, this confounding was eliminated by maintaining a constant (400 kg/m 3 ) dry matter bale density (constant density; CD), regardless of moisture content. Initial bale moisture was an excellent linear predictor of storage characteristics and changes in quality and was consistent for both the CD and FD studies. Moisture type (residual hydration or dew) had no effect on any response variable. Heating indices (degree days>30°C, degree days>ambient, mean heat generation rate, maximum temperature, and average temperature) were all effective in describing changes in artifact nitrogen concentration as linear functions during storage ( r 2 >0.838). However, regression lines for FD and CD studies were dissimilar (different slope, intercept, or both) for all predictor variables except average temperature. The mechanisms that regulate heat damage to forage nitrogen during bale storage are complex. Although input factors such as moisture content, spontaneous heating, and bale density clearly impact final artifact nitrogen concentrations, their interactions are not understood fully.

Maturity effects on chemical composition, silage fermentation and digestibility of whole plant grain sorghum and soya-bean silages fed to beef cattle

Abstract The present study was conducted to compare chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and nutritive value of whole plant grain sorghum and soya-bean silages harvested at the late-bloom, milk, and late-dough stages of sorghum maturity. Diets containing 87.6% of the interseeded silages were fed to growing beef cattle, and grain sorghum silage harvested at the late-dough stage was fed as a control. Maturity stages affected chemical composition and fermentation of the interseeded silages. Dry matter intakes of the interseeded silages were not significantly different for the three maturity stages, but all were lower than that of the control. Digestibilities of most of the nutrients were, however, similar for the four silage diets.

Silage review: Safety considerations during silage making and feeding

Silage-related injury knows no age boundary as workers and bystanders of all ages have been killed in silage accidents. Even the best employee can become frustrated with malfunctioning equipment and poor weather conditions and take a hazardous shortcut, or misjudge a situation and take a risky action. At least 6 hazards are encountered in managing silage in bunker silos and drive-over piles that endanger lives: tractor or truck rollover, run-over by or entanglement in machinery, fall from height, crushing by an avalanche or collapsing silage, silage gases, and complacency or fatigue. These hazards are presented in detail along with accounts of 14 individual case studies involving several of them. Guidelines that can dramatically reduce the risk of serious injuries or fatalities from each of the hazards are presented. Every farm, feedlot, dairy, and silage contractor should have written safety policies and procedures for their silage program, and they should schedule regular meetings with all their employees to discuss and demonstrate safety. The most important goal in every silage program is to send all employees home safely to their families at the end of the day.

Effect of Treating High-Moisture Corn with a Bacterial Inoculant Containing Propionibacterium on Fermentation and Growth Performance and Carcass Merit of Finishing Steers1

Corn was harvested at 28 to 31% moisture, rolled, and ensiled in bunker silos and in laboratory-scale polyvinyl chloride silos. The objective was to determine whether adding a bacterial inoculant containing a propionic acid-producing bacterium affected ensiling fermentation characteristics or the growth performance and carcass merit of finishing steers. Lactic acid concentration increased more rapidly and pH declined more rapidly in inoculated corn (P<0.05) during initial stages of fermentation (d 3 to 21). Percentage soluble N and concentrations of ammonia N, acetate, and ethanol increased with more days of fermentation (P<0.05), but inoculation had little effect. Propionic acid was higher at d 90 in inoculated corn than in control corn (P<0.05). In nylon bags buried in the bunker silos, inoculated corn had greater concentrations of lactate (P<0.05), lower pH (P<0.05), less soluble N (P<0.05), and more propionate P=0.08) than control corn. In a 140-d finishing study using 128 steers (16 pens, 8 steers per pen), steers fed inoculated corn were 13 kg heavier (P=0.04), consumed 4% more feed (P=0.01), and gained almost 7% faster (P=0.01) than those fed control corn. We conclude that inoculating high moisture corn with a bacterial inoculant containing “propionibacterium” enhances ensiling fermentation characteristics and improves growth performance of finishing cattle.