• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.249-256
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• 1992

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was fractionated into leaf nutrient concentrate, fiber and deproteinised juice (DPJ). The fresh and fermented DPJs were concentrated and referred to as fresh deproteinised juice concentrate (FDPJC) and fermented deprotenised juice concentrate (FMTD DPJC). The FDPJC and FMTD DPJC were separately mixed with dried fiber and ensiled. Wilted crop silage and fresh fiber silage were also prepared from the same material crop. The nutritive value of these four silages were compared using four goats by $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Green crop fractionation resulted lesser amount of crude protein and ash, and higher amount of neurtal detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose and hemicellulose in fresh fiber. The pH of fresh fiber silage was lower than that of the other silages. Addition of FDPJC or FMTD DPJC to the dried fiber at ensiling did not improve the silage qualities; but all the silages were satisfactorily preserved. Goats fed these silages showed similar ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid concentrations. But addition of FMTD DPJC was effective on increasing ruminal acetic acid concentration reducing propionic acid concentration. Ruminal n- and iso- butyric acid concentrations were proportional to that of propionic acid. High ammonia content of the silage containing FMTD DPJC was reflected to the ruminal ammonia concentration, urinary nitrogen excretion and serum urea level of goats. Inclusion of FDPJC or FMTD DPJC added 15 to 25% dry matter to the fiber silages with a little reduction in the digestibilities of most components of the silages.