Assessment of the nutritive value and production costs of hay and silage of brown middle rib sorghums

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A. E. Fern?ndez Mayer
R. Stuart
Bertha Chongo
Pedro C. Mart?n

Abstract

In order to determine whether quality and production costs (PC) of the BMR (brown middle rib) silage are superior to those of this referred crop, two experiments were conducted. One was conducted with commercial BMR sorghum ?Nutritop?, and the other ?Para Silo?. Two treatments were established for each experiment with the same BMR sorghum (T1 silage and T2 deffered). Two plots of 70 ha were planted with each sorghum. In a half of each plot (35 ha) a silage of the whole plant was conducted and in the other half, it was left deffered. A completely randomized design with ten repetitions was used. The variables CP, DM digestibility, NDF, lignin, soluble carbohydrates and starch were analyzed. The digestibilities of those deffered were superior compared with the silages (65.5 vs 64.1 and 62.1 vs 60.1 for the 1? and 2? experiment, respectively). The soluble carbohydrates and starch were also superior (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the levels of CP and lignin. While the production costs of those diferred were very inferior (-546.15 %). The best quality of the silages may be explained by the high level of efluents generated, which sweep the soluble substances of high quality. The deffered BMR sorghums keep a superior quality, mainly energetic, apart from their low production costs, conditions that make them a good alternative for the dry season or cold weather.
Key words: BMR sorghums, whole plant silage, deffered crop, nutritional quality, production costs.

Article Details

How to Cite
Fern?ndez Mayer, A. E., Stuart, R., Chongo, B., & Mart?n, P. C. (2013). Assessment of the nutritive value and production costs of hay and silage of brown middle rib sorghums. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 47(2). Retrieved from https://www.cjascience.com/index.php/CJAS/article/view/316
Section
Animal Science
Author Biographies

A. E. Fern?ndez Mayer

Instituto Nacional de Tecnolog?a Agropecuaria (INTA), Ruta Pcial. 76 km. 36.5 (8187) Bordenave, Buenos Aires, Argentina

R. Stuart

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Bertha Chongo

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Pedro C. Mart?n

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

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