Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXII, Issue 1
Written by Victor ŢÎŢEI, Sergiu COŞMAN, Veaceslav MAZĂRE, Valentina COŞMAN, Romina MAZĂRE, Ana GUȚU
Agricultural production plays an integral role in the regional economy, under the conditions of climate change with uneven distribution of rainfall and extreme heat, expansion of areas with degraded soils, affecting agricultural productivity. The identification of alternative crops that need less water and produce increased yield of organic matter per unit of water is important for agricultural sustainability. Adequate animal nutrition is one of the vital prerequisites to enhance the productivity and the performance of ruminants in terms of milk and meat production. Silage is one of the key components of the feed for herbivorous domestic animals. Sorghum species have recently gained popularity due to their numerous advantages, such as heat and drought tolerance and resistance to specific diseases and pests. Besides, they are well adapted to a wide range of soil types and recover easily after grazing or multiple harvests. The aim of this study was to determine the green mass yield, the silage quality, the nutrient content and the fodder value of the nonnative, perennial, rhizomatous grass – Sorghum almum, grown in an experimental field of the National Botanical Garden (Institute), Chişinău. In the third growing season, the perennial sorghum was characterized by high growth rate and regenerative capacity after being cut. The annual productivity, from three harvests, was 6.1 kg/m2 green mass or 1.4 kg/m2 dry matter, surpassing the productivity of maize by 35 %. It was determined that the quality of the silage varied depending on the harvest time: pH 3.8-4.5, lactic acid 24.7-45.5 g/kg, acetic acid 6.3-9.1 g/kg, butyric acid 0.2g/kg, organic matter 892.4-922.8 g/kg, crude protein 50.7-95.2 g/kg, crude fats 20.6-36.8 g/kg, crude cellulose 402- 428.9 g/kg, nitrogen free extract 330.5-407.2 g/kg, carotene 15.67-47.17 mg/kg, calcium 3.7-5.5 g/kg and phosphorus 1.8-2.7 g/kg. The fodder value of the prepared silage was 0.14-0.18 nutritive units/kg and 1.47-1.82 MJ/kg metabolizable energy. The potential methane yield of Sorghum almum silage substrates varied from 233 to 242 l/kg. The silage obtained from Sorghum almum, according to organoleptic characteristics (smell, colour and consistency) and biochemical indices (pH, content of organic acids and their correlation, chemical composition), largely meets the standards and can be used as alternative feedstuff.
[Read full article] [Citation]
