The ensiling characteristics of different herbage species and varieties

Abstract

SUMMARY: The ensiling characteristics of grasses and of red clover were examined by means of a small scale vacuum silage technique. Eight grasses, comprising three varieties each of perennial ryegrass and cocksfoot and two varieties of timothy, were evaluated after application of two levels of nitrogen fertilizer. Three varieties of red clover were evaluated at two stages of growth with and without sucrose supplementation during ensiling.Perennial ryegrass varieties contained more water soluble carbohydrates than cocksfoot and timothy varieties. At the low level of fertilizer N, silages made from the first cut in mid-May were all well preserved 3 weeks after ensiling. At the high level of fertilizer only perennial ryegrass varieties and S345 cocksfoot were well preserved. After ensiling for 14 weeks perennial ryegrass silages remained well preserved but secondary fermentation in the cocksfoot and timothy varieties resulted in poor preservation. Silages made from the second cut at the end of May were all badly preserved except for silage made from tetraploid ryegrass at the low nitrogen level.Significant correlations were established between the water soluble carbohydrate content of the grasses and the quality of the resulting silage, but herbage dry-matter content and buffering capacity were not significantly correlated with silage quality.The red clover varieties were lower in water soluble carbohydrate and higher in buffering capacity than the grasses. Although the silages from red clover were well preserved they were of high pH. Supplementation with sucrose significantly reduced pH and ammonia content and increased lactic-acid content.