Abstract 394

Esperance,M; Ojeda,-F; Caceres,-O

Estacion Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes "Indio Hatuey" Perico, Matanzas, Cuba.

Pastos-y-Forrajes. 1985, 8: 1, 127-140; 12 ref.

P. maximum cv. Likoni was cut at 4 and 8 weeks old and given 60 kg N/ha at each cut. It was ensiled in various types of silos with a chop length of 2 cm, with or without molasses. The silage was tested at 0-180 days. Silage pH varied from 4.0 to 4.7 and 4.4 to 5.4 and ammonia concn. from 15 to 39 and 23.5 to 35.3% with and without molasses, resp. Av. DM losses were 9.6 and 9.9% with and without molasses, resp. DM, CP and carbohydrate concn. of the silage varied with the age of the grass. Av. DM digestibility and intake of the silage by sheep of a local race were 50.3% and 47.2 g/kg metabolic weight, resp.