The effect of molasses on the quality of Kudzu silage and evaluation of feed intake and digestibility of diets supplemented with Kudzu silage or Kudzu hay by heifers

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the ensiling of Tropical Kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides) and the feed intake and digestibility of Kudzu silage and Kudzu hay. In the first experiment four levels of sugarcane molasses (653 g DM kg-1, 528 g WSC kg-1 DM) with application rates of 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg per tonne of fresh Kudzu and two storage periods (20 and 50 days) were allocated in a 4x2 factorial complete randomized design with 3 replicates. A total of 48 plastic buckets with 10 kg fresh materials in each were prepared, and 24 buckets were for determining only pH at 7 and 14 days after ensiling. In the second experiment to measure feed intake and digestibility, Kudzu vine silage with 6% of sugarcane molasses and Kudzu hay was used in the experiment. Six crossbred Red-Sindhi heifers, 8-10 months of age and 150-180 kg live weight, were randomly allocated in a repeated randomized complete block design (RCBD) two times with three treatments: Guinea grass 280 diet (Control), grass diet with a supplement of Kudzu silage (KS), and grass diet with a supplement of Kudzu hay (KH). During the feed intake measurement the grass, Kudzu silage and Kudzu hay were supplied ad libitum. For the digestibility determinations the diet was limited to 85% of mean dry matter intake measured. Tropical Kudzu foliage can be preserved by making hay or silage. In the silage making process sugarcane molasses additive should be at least 3% of fresh Kudzu. Diet DM intake increased with the preserved Kudzu foliage, especially with the Kudzu hay supplement. The OM and CP apparent digestibility coefficients of Kudzu silage were 61.6 and 54.7%, and of Kudzu hay were 62.1 and 58.1%, respectively. The higher digestibility of Kudzu hay and Kudzu silage than grass and the higher intake with the supplemented diets should result in improved growth rate of cattle.