EVALUATION OF THE SORGHUM STOVERS AS FRESH AS WELL AS SILAGE

Two experiments were carried out on sorghum stover conservation. In th e first, sorghum varieties (-CSH-9', 'CSH-5', 'M.P.Chari' and 'PC-6') after removal of matured grain were chopped and ensiled in glass siles with (0.5%) and without urea. The silages were evaluated after 50 day s storage. Grain types ('CSH-9' and 'CSH-5') had higher moisture, solu ble sugar and CP than the fodder varieties ('M.P. Chari' and 'PC-6'). pH of the silages ranged from 3.03 to 4.54. Urea-treated grain type si lage had higher acid. Alcohol production ranged between 2.31 and 4.66% . Flieg index was higher in urea treated silages than in non-treated g roup. In experiment 2, sorghum stover ('PC-6') was ensiled in pit silo s either with (T2) or without (T1) urea or fed as fresh stover by harv esting them daily with (T4) or without (T3) urea (0.6%). Silages were evaluated 25 days after ensiling. Lactic acid production was about 2 t imes more in T2 than T1 silage. Dry matter intake in growing calves wa s highest in T3 followed by that in T2. T4 and T1. Digestibility coeff icients of various nutrients and TDN were not significantly different amongst various treatments. Positive N and P balance was recorded in a ll the treatments but negative Ca balance was recorded in T1, T2 and T 4 groups.Body weight gain was highest in T1 group followed in T2, T4 a nd T3.