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MEKARN Conference 2010 |
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of molasses and ground maize as additives to make water hyacinth (WH) silage. The experiment was a completely randomized design with 7 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments included 0, 7.70, 11.5, and 15.3% for both sugarcane molasses and ground maize. The observations were done at day 0, 7,14, 28 and 56. The wilted WH was chopped to 2-3 cm and completely mixed with additives. Plastic bags were used for incubation as experimental units.
The pH at day 14 was 5.50, 4.45, 4.25, 4.22, and 4.83, 4.76 and 4.59 for the treatments of 0, 7.70, 11.5, and 15.3% of molasses and 7.70, 11.5, and 15.3% of ground maize, respectively. The chemical composition of water hyacinth silage did not among the treatments at different observed days, except CP content. From day 14 to 56, CP contents of WH silage made by molasses were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of ground maize at the same levels of treating. Ensiling water hyacinth with molasses at the levels of 11.5 and 15.4% had the sour vinegar smell and light yellow color. The results of this study implied that treating water hyacinth with 11.5% molasses (DM basis) could be used for making a good silage