Effect of Wilting Intensity, Dry Matter Content and Sugar Addition on Nitrogen Fractions in Lucerne Silages

Thomas Hartinger, Nina Gresner and Karl-Heinz Südekum
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Thomas Hartinger: Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
Nina Gresner: Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
Karl-Heinz Südekum: Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Pre-ensiling treatments can significantly influence the composition of lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.) silages (LS). Besides dry matter (DM) content and availability of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), wilting intensity may exert a strong impact on the crude protein (CP; nitrogen [N] × 6.25) fractions. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of DM level, wilting intensity, and sucrose addition on N compounds and fermentation products in LS. Pure lucerne stand (cultivar Plato) was wilted with either high or low intensity to DM contents of 250 and 350 g kg −1 , respectively, and ensiled with or without the addition of sucrose. Non-protein-N (NPN) concentration in LS was affected by all pre-ensiling treatments and with 699 g kg −1 CP, NPN was lowest in high-intensity wilted high-DM LS with sucrose addition. No effects were observed on in vitro-estimated concentrations of utilizable CP at the duodenum, a precursor to metabolizable protein. Sucrose addition and higher DM level decreased acetic acid and ammonia-N concentration in the silages. Therefore, the present study demonstrated the beneficial manipulation of CP fractions in LS by high-intensity wilting to higher DM contents and that the provision of WSC may be necessary for sufficient silage fermentation and protein preservation.

Keywords: crude protein; dry matter; lucerne; alfalfa; nitrogen; silage; wilting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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