Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T12:37:40.868Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of paraformaldehyde on the fermentation quality and feeding value of ryegrass and lucerne silages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. E. Cook ,
R. J. Wilkins  and
R. F. Wilson
J. E. Cook
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
R. F. Wilson
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Crops of perennial ryegrass and lucerne were each ensiled without additives and after the addition of paraformaldehyde to provide about 0·1, 0·2 or 0·4% HCHO/t crop fresh weight. The ryegrass and lucerne silages were offered ad libitum to sheep in separate experiments of identical design.

All theryegrass silages were well preserved with low pH values, the level of butyric acid was very low and ammonia-N comprised less than 8% of total N. The lucerne silage made without additive had a pH of 5 and acetic acid comprised the major part of the total fermentation acids. Ammonia-N comprised over 12% of total N. All levels of paraformaldehyde addition restricted fermentation in both crops and led to an increase in the proportion of total N which was insoluble in hot water.

Voluntary intake of organic matter (OM) was higher for the lucerne than for the ryegrass silages but digestible organic matter (DOM) intake was higher for the ryegrass. Intakes of OM and DOM were not significantly affected by paraformaldehyde treatment. The addition of paraformaldehyde significantly depressed apparent digestibility of OM and cellulose with the ryegrass but had less effect with the lucerne. Nitrogen digestibility was significantly depressed in both crops at all paraformaldehyde levels. Paraformaldehyde addition resulted in increased faecal N output and decreased urinary N, but retention of N was not significantly affected.

The lack of response in feeding value to paraformaldehyde treatment may have been due to the relatively high intake and N retention of the untreated silages which were fairly well preserved.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 99 , Issue 3 , December 1982 , pp. 465 - 470
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (1965). Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 10th edn.Washington: Association of Official Agricultural Chemists.Google Scholar
Barry, T. N., Cook, J. E. & Wilkins, R. J. (1978). The influence of formic acid and formaldehyde additives and type of harvesting machine on the utilisation of nitrogen in lucerne silage. I. The voluntary intake and nitrogen retention of young sheep consuming the silages with and without intraperitoneal supplements of DL-methionine. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 91, 701–715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N., Fennessy, P. F. & Duncan, S. J. (1973). Effect of formaldehyde treatment on the chemical composition and nutritive value of silage. III. Voluntary intake, liveweight gain and wool growth in sheep fed the silages with and without intraperitoneal supplementation of DL-methionine. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 64–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J., Cammell, S. B. & Harrison, D. G. (1977). The digestion by sheep of silages made with or without the addition of formaldehyde. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88, 61–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crampton, E. W. & Maynard, L. A. (1938). The relation of cellulose and lignin content to the nutritive value of animal feeds. Journal of Nutrition 15, 383–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dewar, W. A. & McDonald, P. (1961). Determination of dry matter in siiage by distillation with toluene. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 12, 790–795.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaiser, A. G. (1979). The effects of formaldehyde application at ensiling on the utilization of silage by young growing cattle. Ph.D. thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Miller, R. G. Jun. (1966). Simultaneous Statistical Inference. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Playne, N. J. & McDonald, P. (1966). The buffering constituents of herbages and silage. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 17, 264–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. & Terry, R. A. (1963). A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 104–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waldo, D. R. (1977). Potential of chemical preservation and improvement of forages. Journal of Dairy Science 60, 306–326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waldo, D. R., Keys, J. E. Jun. & Gordon, C. H. (1975). Paraformaldehyde compared with formic acid as a direct cut silage preservative. Journal of Dairy Science 58, 922–930.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkins, R. J. (1975). Advances in forage conservation. Proceedings of the 6th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Madrid, pp.305–310.Google Scholar
Wilkins, R. J. & McLeod, D. S. (1970). The effect of ensilage on nutritive value. Annual Report, Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, 1969, pp.84–85.Google Scholar
Wilkins, R. J., Wilson, R. F. & Cook, J. E. (1974). Restriction of fermentation during ensilage: the nutritive value of silages made with the addition of formaldehyde. Proceedings of 12th International Grassland Congress, Moscow 3, part 2, pp. 674–690.Google Scholar
Wilkins, R. J., Wilson, R. F. & Woolford, M. K. (1974). The effect of formaldehyde on silage fermentation. Vaxtodling 29, 197–201, Proceedings of the 5th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Uppsala, 1973.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M., Wilson, R. F. & Barry, T. N. (1976). Factors affecting the nutritive value of silage. Outlook on Agriculture 9, 3–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, R. F. & Wilkins, R. J. (1978). Paraformaldehyde as a silage additive. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 91, 23–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar