Evaluation of chemical composition of mulberry based silages

Abstract

To evaluate the chemical composition of mulberry based silages the lab experiment was conducted during the month of October - November of 2016 at College of Sericulture Chintamani, University of Agricultural and Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru. The Nutritive analysis of Mulberry based silages was carried out for different parameters viz., per cent crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, total ash, ADF(Acid detergent fiber) and NDF (Neutral detergent fiber). Significantly higher crude protein of 16.80 per cent was in sole mulberry followed by 15.59 per cent in the silage prepared out of 50 per cent mulberry leaves with shoots + 50 per cent maize. Crude fibre (1.17) and ether extract (6.53 per cent) found effective in 50 per cent mulberry leaves with shoots with 50 per cent Napier grass combination. The total ash content of 12.45 per cent was found to be highest in 50 per cent mulberry leaves and shoots with 50 per cent maize followed by 25 per cent mulberry leaves with shoots + 75 per cent maize (12.38 per cent). Cell wall fraction like NDF (67.87 per cent) was more in sole Napier grass silage and ADF (55.91 per cent) was higher in sole mulberry silage.