CHEMICAL-CHANGES DURING ENSILING OF SUDAX FODDER WITH BROILER LITTER

Sudax fodder was ensiled in large trench silos with or Without the add ition of 30% broiler litter and 6% molasses. The samples were analysed for pH, lactic acid, nitrogen and fiber fraction at 0- and 5-day inte rval till 40 days. The silage containing broiler litter had higher ini tial and subsequent pH due to high ammonia concentration. pH of both s ilages had the largest drop during the first 5 days of ensiling, with corresponding increase in lactic acid, pH continued decreasing until 1 0 days in silage without litter and 15 days in silage containing litte r. Lactic acid continued increasing in silage without litter until 15 days and with litter until 25 days of ensiling. The addition of broile r litter resulted in significantly decreased content of ND, hemicellul ose and cellulose and increased content of ADF. Ensiling period had si gnificant effect on all the fiber fractions. Total-N content increased slightly during the ensiling process but protein-N decreased consider ably at the fifth day of ensiling with simultaneous increase in ammoni a-N. Later on, there was a slight reversal but it never corresponded w ith the initial values. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.