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Publication Date

1977

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From 34 standing crops of grasses or legumes, 93 direct-cut silages were prepared: 33 without additive, 37 with formic acid (3.5 or 5 1/t), 10 with formic acid and 1.5 1/t formalin, 15 with formic acid and 3.5 to 5 1/t formalin. The conservation quality of the silages was improved by the addition of formic acid and even further by the mixture of formic acid and formalin. Silage digestibility is similar to that of the corresponding green forage, but the addi­tion of formalin considerably reduces protein digestibility (by 2 to 8 points). The voluntary intake of silage is lower than that of green forage (by 15 to 24 %) but can be improved only slightly by addition of formic acid with or without a small quantity of formalin. The quantity of nitrogen retained by sheep fed with silage is always lower than when fed with green forage, but this can be increased by addition of formic acid or a mixture of formic acid and a low, but not a high, dose of formalin to the silage.

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The effect of addition of formic acid, with or without formalin, on the conservation quality, digestibility, nutritive value, and nitrogen balance of direct-cut silage

From 34 standing crops of grasses or legumes, 93 direct-cut silages were prepared: 33 without additive, 37 with formic acid (3.5 or 5 1/t), 10 with formic acid and 1.5 1/t formalin, 15 with formic acid and 3.5 to 5 1/t formalin. The conservation quality of the silages was improved by the addition of formic acid and even further by the mixture of formic acid and formalin. Silage digestibility is similar to that of the corresponding green forage, but the addi­tion of formalin considerably reduces protein digestibility (by 2 to 8 points). The voluntary intake of silage is lower than that of green forage (by 15 to 24 %) but can be improved only slightly by addition of formic acid with or without a small quantity of formalin. The quantity of nitrogen retained by sheep fed with silage is always lower than when fed with green forage, but this can be increased by addition of formic acid or a mixture of formic acid and a low, but not a high, dose of formalin to the silage.