The effect of urea and molasses addition into sorghum harvested at early-milk stage on silage quality and in vitro digestibility

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of urea or urea plus molasses addition into sorghum harvested at early-milk stage on silage quality, in vitro digestibility and digestible dry matter (DM) yield of silage. To achieve this objeclive, four different sorghum varieties (Grass II, Grazer, Gözde, and P-988) harvested at earty-milk stage were utilized- Silage samples were added 0.5 % urea or 0.5 % urea plus 4 % molasses (on weight basis) and ensiled in mini-silos (1 L in volume). Silage samples were analyzed for chemical composition, pH and organic acids (Lactic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acids). In vitro DM digestibility and digestible DM yields of silages were also determined. Urea and urea + molasses addition significantly increased silage crude protein (CP) in addition to silage pH (P 0.05). In conclusion, addition of 0.05% urea or 0.05 % urea plus 4 % molasses into sorghum harvested at early-milk stage improved CP and DM contents of silages but had no positive effects on silage quality and digestible DM yields.

Keywords

• sorghum silage
• urea
• molasses
• in vitro digestibility
• digestible dry matter yield