ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

NATURE OF CROP

Legumes have low soluble carbohydrate content with high buffering capacity make them difficult to ensile. However, spraying sugar additive, such as molasses on to the crop at the time of filling the silo provides conducive environment for ensiling. In order to obtain nutritious as well as maximum yield of crop, they should be harvested when 50% of the crop are in ear emergence stage as digestibility falls rapidly with increasing herbage maturity. Chopping or crushing the crop exposes the cell sap which tends to produce more favourable condition for microorganism activity.

Spray molasses to legumes to provide readily soluble carbohydrate. Chopping exposes cell sap for microbial fermentation.