• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2006

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of molasses supplementation to silage materials in ensiling Galgeuntang (herbal medicine) meal on the quality of silage, and its palatability in Korean native goats. In experiment I, molasses was added at the levels of 0, 0.5, and 1.0% to Galgeuntang meal with three replicates per treatment. In experiment II, three 1.5-yr-old Korean native goats were used to measure palatability. In experiment I, lactic acid contents in molasses treatments were significantly(p<0.05) higher, and pH and butyric acid contents were lower than those of non-molasses treatment. In addition, molasses treatment increased total microbial cell counts in MRS medium for lactobacillus, but decreased total microbial cell counts in PDA medium for fungi. Molasses supplementation to silage materials increased in vitro dry matter disappearance. Molasses supplementation tended to increase silage intake in Korean native goat (experiment II), but the difference was not significant(p>0.05). It is concluded that molasses supplementation to silage materials in ensiling herbal medicine meal could improve its preservability and palatability, the higher the better.