Abstract

BETANCOURT, María et al. EFFECT OF MOLASSES, FORMIC ACID, AND TIME OF FERMENTATION ON THE CRUDE PROTEIN CONTENT AND AMMONIA NITROGEN IN SILAGE OF LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2003, vol.21, n.3, pp.289-300. ISSN 0798-7269.

To evaluate the effect of the molasses, formic acid, and time of fermentation on the content of crude protein and ammonia nitrogen in micro silos of Leucaena leucocephala, it was carried out a field experiment at San Francisco County, Zulia state, Venezuela, in an area classified as very dry tropical forest. The experimental design was a complete randomize in a factorial arrangement (3x3x3), with two replications, three levels of molasses (0, 2.5, and 5%), three levels of formic acid (0, 0.25, and 0.5%), and three times of fermentation (10, 41, and 62 days). The content of crude protein was affected significantly (P<0.05) by the interaction molasses x formic acid, the content of ammonia nitrogen by the addition of molasses, and the interaction formic acid x time of fermentation. The highest value of PC (22.2%) was observed at 0% molasses and 0.25% formic acid. The N-NH₃-Nt was reduced with the addition of molasses. According to these results, L. leucocephala can be used in silage processes using preservative agents.

Keywords : molasses; formic acid; fermentation time; protein,; ammonia nitrogen,; Leucaena; leucocephala.