Effects of maize maturity stage and concentration of dry matter on maize silage fodder value

Abstract

Nutritional composition of fodder dry matter affects maize silage feed value. According to laboratory analyses, maize silage dry matter concentration correlated with maturity stage of maize (r = 0.970). Dependence of crude protein (r = -0.537), crude fibre (r = -0.891), β-carotene (r = -0.955), starch (r = 0.983) and crude ash (r = -0.851) on dry matter concentration was determined in silage. Also concentration of mineral elements in crude ash - calcium (r = -0.933), phosphorus (r = -0.789), potassium (r = -0.974) and natrium (r = -0.903), correlated with dry matter concentration in maize silage. All calculated correlation-regression dependences were established at 99% level of probability (P < 0.01). According to dry matter concentration in silage by per cent, calculated regression equations, metabolizable and NEL energy concentrations in maize silage can be quite exactly determined when correlation is near linear and coefficient comes nearer to one.