Division of Dairy Cattle Nutrition, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132 001, India
Online published on 21 January, 2012.
Bales of green oat (Avena sativa) fodder (55% DM) were stored after treating with 0.5 (T1), 1.0 (T2)J 2.0 (T3) and 3.0% (T4) aqueous ammonia (w/w) in sealed polythene bags for tiro months. Simultaneously, hay was prepared from the same fodder in shade (T5) and under sun (T6). Bales prepared without ammonia acted as control (T0). Fungal growth appeared in To, T1 and T2. NDF, ADF and cellulose were high in all the high moisture bales in comparison to hay prepared under shade (T5). However, NDF, cellulose and hemicellulose were highest in hay prepared under sun (T6). Total N and water soluble N contents of the fodder samples increased with increasing levels of ammonia application. The efficiency of N binding from ammonia was 37.4, 27.2, 21.2 and 17.5% in T1 to T4, respectively. In vitro ammonia-N release was maximum in T1 and minimum in T2, at 15 mts post incubation. Nylon bag DM degradability (NBDMD) was lowest in sun dried hay and highest in T3. Ammoniation of oat fodder at 2% (w/w) level appeared to be optimum for preservation and improvement of green oatfodder quality.
