Effect of maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) genotypes, harvesting stages and ensiling periods on fermentation and nutritional value of silage

Getu Kitaw; Geberemariyam Terefe; Mulisa Faji; Gezahegn Mengistu; Mesfin Dejene; Dereje Fekadu; Aemiro Kehaliu; Mulugeta Walelegne; Bethlehem Mekonnen; Getu Kitaw; Geberemariyam Terefe; Mulisa Faji; Gezahegn Mengistu; Mesfin Dejene; Dereje Fekadu; Aemiro Kehaliu; Mulugeta Walelegne; Bethlehem Mekonnen

doi:10.48130/grares-0024-0006

Sensory parameters	Rating scale
Sensory parameters	1	2	3	4
Color	Dark	Olive yellow	Light olive green	Olive green
Smell/aroma	Offensive	Moderately pleasant	Pleasant	Very pleasant
Texture	Slimy	Soft	Fairly firm	Firm
Mold coverage	Highly moldy	Moderately moldy	Scattered mold spot	No mold
1 = Bad, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent.

Table 1.

Sensory evaluations and fermentation characteristics.

Variety	HS	EP (weeks)	Colour	Aroma	Texture	Mold	pH	T⁰	TDML
Kuleni	Milk	4	3.24^h	3.08^j	3.48^j	3.72^g	4.04^g	19.84^d	11.13^p
		6	3.44^f	3.40^h	3.64^h	4.00^a	3.98ⁱ	20.40^b	16.40^k
		8	2.28^j	2.48^k	2.60^l	2.60ⁱ	3.80ⁱ	19.54^f	20.07^e
Jibat		4	3.36^g	3.08^j	3.60ⁱ	3.72^g	4.00^h	19.46^g	6.30^r
		6	3.72^c	3.84^b	3.88^c	3.80^e	3.88^k	21.58^a	12.05^o
		8	3.56^d	3.52^g	3.76^f	3.84^d	3.70ⁿ	19.68^e	16.59^j
Kolba		4	3.00ⁱ	3.20ⁱ	3.64^h	3.72^g	4.00^h	20.06^c	7.36^q
		6	3.00ⁱ	3.80^c	3.84^d	3.92^b	3.74^m	20.40^b	13.20^m
		8	3.00ⁱ	3.08^j	3.32^k	3.60^h	3.70ⁿ	19.38^h	17.52^h
Kuleni	Dough	4	3.36^g	3.60^f	3.76^f	3.76^f	4.38^a	18.70^k	16.76ⁱ
		6	3.36^g	3.60^f	3.72^g	3.88^c	4.16^d	18.74^j	20.64^d
		8	3.56^d	3.64^e	3.72^g	3.84^d	4.04^g	18.74^j	22.15^a
Jibat		4	3.52^e	3.20ⁱ	3.84^d	3.80^e	4.24^b	18.66^l	13.10ⁿ
		6	4.00^a	4.00^a	4.00^a	4.00^a	4.06^f	18.60ⁿ	18.09^g
		8	3.76^b	3.84^b	3.88^c	3.88^c	2.90^o	18.60ⁿ	20.87^b
Kolba		4	3.00ⁱ	3.20ⁱ	3.80^e	4.00^a	4.22^c	18.62^m	14.32^l
		6	3.00ⁱ	3.68^d	3.88^c	3.80^e	4.10^e	19.14ⁱ	19.16^f
		8	3.00ⁱ	3.80^c	3.92^b	3.84^d	3.96^j	19.14ⁱ	20.67^c
LSD			0.006	0.006	0.006	0.004	0.006	0.005	0.006
SEM			0.01	0.02	0.01	0.005	0.01	0.02	0.01
Overall average		Kuleni	3.20	3.30	3.48	3.63	4.06	19.32	17.85
		Jibat	3.65	3.58	3.82	3.84	3.79	19.43	14.50
		Kolba	2.99	3.30	3.73	3.81	3.94	19.45	15.37
		4	3.24	3.22	3.68	3.78	4.14	19.22	11.49
		6	3.42	3.72	3.82	3.90	3.98	19.81	16.59
		8	3.19	3.39	3.53	3.60	3.68	19.18	19.64
Statistical effect		V	***	***	**	***	**	***	***
		HS	***	***	***	***	***	***	***
		EP	***	***	***	***	**	***	***
		V × HS	***	***	**	***	***	***	***
		V × EP	***	*	***	***	***	***	***
		HS × EP	***	***	**	***	***	***	***
		V × HS × EP	***	***	***	***	**	***	***
^a−r Means with different superscripts within the same column are significantly different (p < 0.05); V = variety, HS = harvesting stage, EP = ensiling period, LSD = least significance difference, T^o = silage temperature; TDML = total dry matter loss; SEM = Standard error of the mean * = p < 0.05, = p < 0.01, * = p < 0.001.

Table 2.

Effect of variety × harvesting stage × ensiling period on sensory and fermentation characteristics of the maize silage.

Variety	HS	EP (weeks)	PDM	Ash	CP	NDF	ADF	ADL	DOMD	ME
Kuleni	MS	4	20.50^k	7.98ⁿ	4.43^d	60.78	33.97	3.54^def	54.76	8.80ⁱ
		6	19.28ⁿ	10.31ⁱ	4.24^ef	59.65	32.68	3.40^fg	56.46	9.00^h
		8	18.82^o	11.12^f	3.64^h	59.99	32.74	3.36^gh	57.36	9.20^f
Jibat		4	22.35^h	11.96^d	4.88^b	59.97	31.75	3.26^ghi	57.28	9.20^f
		6	20.98^j	12.52^b	5.28^a	59.28	31.15	3.06^kl	58.70	9.40^c
		8	19.89^m	13.31^a	4.28^ef	58.70	30.24	2.73^m	59.90	9.60^a
Kolba		4	21.54ⁱ	9.76^j	4.19^f	60.35	31.42	3.16^ijk	56.74	9.10^g
		6	20.17^l	10.33ⁱ	4.69^c	59.23	30.94	3.01^l	57.92	9.30^e
		8	19.22ⁿ	10.89^g	5.14^a	58.89	30.43	3.11^jkl	58.35	9.30^e
Kuleni	DS	4	27.05^d	4.58^q	3.93^g	61.28	34.47	4.04^a	54.46	8.70^j
		6	25.79^f	5.74^p	3.74^h	60.15	33.18	3.90^ab	56.16	9.00^h
		8	24.71^g	6.07^o	3.14ⁱ	60.49	33.24	3.86^b	57.06	9.10^g
Jibat		4	28.75^b	8.28^m	4.38^de	60.47	32.25	3.76^bc	56.98	9.10^g
		6	27.10^d	8.98^l	4.78^bc	59.78	31.65	3.56^de	58.40	9.35^d
		8	25.93^f	9.38^k	3.78^h	59.20	30.74	3.23^hij	59.60	9.50^b
Kuleni		4	29.51^a	10.49^h	3.69^h	60.85	31.92	3.66^cd	56.44	9.00^h
		6	27.84^c	12.36^c	4.19^f	59.73	31.44	3.51^ef	57.62	9.20^f
		8	26.85^e	11.36^e	4.64^c	59.39	30.93	3.61^de	58.05	9.30^e
LSD			0.15	0.15	0.13	0.15	0.14	0.12	0.16	0.15
SE			0.02	0.01	0.03	0.04	0.02	0.03	0.03	0.01
Overall average		Kuleni	22.69	7.63	3.85	60.39	33.38	3.68	56.04	8.97
		Jibat	24.17	10.74	4.56	59.57	31.30	3.27	58.48	9.34
		Kolba	24.19	10.87	4.42	59.74	31.18	3.34	57.52	9.20
		4	24.95	10.36	4.25	60.62	32.63	3.57	56.11	8.98
		6	23.53	10.04	4.49	59.64	31.84	3.41	57.54	9.21
		8	22.57	8.84	4.10	59.44	31.39	3.32	58.39	9.33
Statistical effect		V	***	***	***	***	***	***	***	***
		HS	***	***	***	***	***	***	***	***
		EP	***	***	***	***	***	***	***	***
		V × HS	***	***	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
		V × EP	***	***	***	***	***	***	***	***
		HS × EP	***	***	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	**
		V × HS× EP	**	***	*	NS	NS	**	NS	***
^a−r Means with different superscripts within the same column are significantly different (p < 0.05); V = variety, HS = harvesting stage, EP = ensiling period, LSD = least significance difference, T^o = silage temperature; TDML = total dry matter loss; SEM = Standard error of the mean * = p < 0.05, = p < 0.01, * = p < 0.001, NS = Non significance, DS = Dough stage, MS = Milk stage, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF).

Table 3.

Effect of variety × harvesting stage × ensiling period on chemical composition (%, DM basis) and metabolizable energy (MJ/Kg DM) of the maize silage.