T. M. PAUL AND M. C. RANGASWAMY 49
TABLE I
Results of analysis before and after silage making
Constituents
Dry matter .
.
.
.
.
Crude protein
.
.
.
.
Ash . . . . . .
Crude fibre .
.
.
.
.
Ether extract
.
.
.
.
Acidity . . . . . .
Silo I
Cane tops
36.8
5.7
5.2
30.5
0.7
1.4
Silage
33.3
4.6
5.4
38.8
0.8
3.2
Silo II
Cane tops
33.3
5.3
4.7
319
0.0
1.3
Silage
27.0
3.5
5.3
33.1
0.7
2.3
Silo III
Cane tops
and grass
mixture
29.5
5.9
8.4
42.6
0.8
1.5
Silage
41.5
4.5
10.5
45.6
0.9
4.5
Feeding trial. Twelve cows of almost the same stage of lactation, milk yield and body weight
were selected from the Institute herd and were divided into four groups of three each. The normal
concentrate ration of the animals consisted of a mixture of ricebran, gram, gram husk and groundnut
cake in the ratio of 4:1.5:2.0:2.5. This was fed at the rate of one lb. for every two lb. of milk
yielded by the animal. The roughage ration consisted of 55 lb. of green grass (mixture of guinea and
Napier grasses) and three lb. of ragi straw per animal per day. The silage was fed in part replacement
of the grass mixture in the normal roughage ration at the rate of two lb. silage for every three lb. of
grass. Group I received silage from sugarcane tops alone, group II silage from sugarcane tops with
molasses and group III received silage from sugarcane tops with mixture of farm grasses, while group
IV remained as control, receiving the normal ration. On the first day of the feeding 15 lb. of the
normal grass ration was replaced by 10 lb. of the particular silage in each experimental group. On
the second day 22½ lb. of the grass ration was replaced by 15 lb. of the particular silage in each ex-
perimental group. Thereafter 20 lb. of the particular silage was fed in replacement of 30 lb. of the
grass mixture of the roughage in each of the experimental groups for one month. The control animals
received the normal ration throughout the period of experiment. Also the dry matter of the roughage
was maintained at the same level in all the groups throughout the period. The milk yield and fat
percentage of the milk was observed at every milking and the average body weight of the animals
were noted every week. The animals did not show any reluctance to consume 20 lb. of either of the
silages per day, but they seemed to like the silage made with the addition of molasses better than
that made without molasses and the silage made with a mixture of farm grasses was liked best by the
animals. The molasses silage had a better aroma, while mixed grass silage was more acidic and softer
also in texture. Tables II—IV give the daily milk yield average fat content and the body weight
of the animals respectively.
TABLE II
Daily milk yield of the animals in pounds during the experimental period
Days
Initial .
.
.
.
1
.
.
.
.
2 . . . .
3 .
.
.
.
4
.
.
.
.
Group I
1
17.0
18.5
17.2
17.5
16.8
2
18.5
18.5
18.2
18.5
18.0
3
18.0
18.2
18.0
18.2
17.7
Group II
1
12.0
11.7
11.7
12.0
12.2
2
13.5
1.1.5
13.5
1.1.5
11.2
3
14.6
14.2
14.0
14.2
14.0
Group III
1
13.0
13.0
13.0
13.0
12.7
2
12.0
11.7
12.2
12.0
11.7
3
12.5
12.2
12.0
12.5
12.5
Group IV
1
15.0
15.2
15.0
15.0
14.7
2
14.0
13.7
14.0
14.2
14.0
3
13.5
13.5
13.2
13.0
13.2
G