Effect of Hybrid Type on Fermentation and Nutritional Parameters of Whole Plant Corn Silage

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of hybrid type on the fermentation and nutritional parameters of whole-plant corn silage (dual-purpose and silage-specific corn). For this purpose, the two corn hybrid types were harvested at the one-half to three-fourths milk line and ensiled in fermentation bags (50 × 80 cm) for 60 day. Our results demonstrated that the ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid (p = 0.004), propionic acid (p p p = 0.039), starch (p p p = 0.003), total digestible nutrients (p p =0.04), and in situ dry matter digestibility (TDMDis) (p p = 0.014), acetic acid (p = 0.007), the ratio of ammonia nitrogen to total nitrogen (p = 0.045), neutral detergent fiber (p p p p p = 0.003), available neutral detergent fiber (p p < 0.001) were higher in silage-specific corn silage. Based on our analysis, we concluded that under favourable production conditions for whole-plant corn silage, the nutritive value per unit was higher in dual-purpose corn while biomass yield and nutrient value per ha were higher in silage-specific corn.

Keywords

• hybrid type
• dual-purpose corn
• silage-specific corn
• nutritive value
• yield prediction and energy value
• in situ digestibility