| dc.description.abstract | The objective of this 5 months research was to determine the optimum harvest time of corn, through the physical, fermentative, and utility characteristics of its whole-plant corn silage. Corns (Zea mays L) with different age (60 d,70 d,80 d, and 90 d) were respectively harvested and separated by each part (Leave, stalk, cob, kernel, and husk). Those parts were chopped (± 2cm) and mixed afterwards. The amount of 2 kg of total mixed corn-plants were placed in plastic silo then ensiled for 5 weeks. Whole plant corn silage would be compared with total mixed ration silage. Descriptive analysis of physical characteristics resulted indifferent for each silage. Completely randomized design was used to analyze the fermentative data, showed DM content increase but CP and WSC concentrations decrease as age advanced. After ensiling, silages produced less DM losses and ammonia nitrogen, indicated fermentation run well. Lower concentration of VFA can be explained by lower soluble fermentation of lactate acid bacteria during ensilage. In vitro technique were used to evaluate silage as diets in rumen by measure the VFA & NH3 rumen, DM & OM digestibility. Ammonia in rumen were greater at early age than advanced age whereas VFA concentrations showed insignificant. DM and OM digestibility at 90d silage resulted the highest digestibility. The results showed that 80d corn silage was the optimum age of harvest. | en |
