SILAGE MAKING
AND UREA MOLASSES MINERAL BLOCK
FRANKLIN C. BARNACHEA
SILAGE
Feeds used by the commercial raiser are based largely on
the silage
Type of fodder made from green foliage crops which have
been preserved by fermentation to the point of acidification.
Plant materials that can be made into silage:
a. sugar cane tops
b. grasses
c. corn
d. sorghum
e. farm by-product
f. mixture of grasses and legumes
SILAGE
The basic process of silage making or ensiling is the
preservation of the succulent or high quality forage under the
anaerobic condition or the exclusion of air, principally oxygen,
from the ensiled forages.
The transformation of the green forage into silage takes place in
the silo where the green forage is placed in a compact mass.
The plant cells and the aerobic organisms continue to respire,
thus, rapidly consuming the oxygen in the entrapped air and in
turn giving carbon dioxide.
When the oxygen is totally consumed by the bacteria, aerobic
activities stop creating oxygen-free atmosphere inside the silo.
STEPS IN SILAGE MAKING
1. Harvest grass just before the flowering stage. Corn and
sorghum should be cut at the semi-dough stage.
2. If moisture content of the harvested plant is higher than
70%, reduce moisture by wilting from 60-70% to
minimize or reduce nutrient loss through seepage.
3. Chop plant materials into 1-2.5 cm length.
4. Fill up the silo in one continuous operation; press the
materials well to form a compact mass. Exclusion of
much of oxygen is essential. Rapid filling and packing
in the silo is essential for good silage.
STEPS IN SILAGE MAKING
Add silage conditioner (molasses, by-product
concentrate) if the original plant material is of poor quality.
Molasses diluted 1:1 with water can be sprinkled over the
prepared material before loading at 2-4% by weight.
Cover the silage with plastic sheet to protect it from rain,
and place some weight on top. The silo must have a roof
to prevent entry of rain water.
After one month, silage is ready for feeding.
Continuous feeding of silage should be followed after
opening the silo to avoid excessive spoilage of the
exposed materials.
QUALITIES OF SILAGE
Very Good : has acid odor and taste; has no molds; shows green color;
has no butyric acid; has a pH value of 3.5-4.2; has ammonia nitrogen
less than 10% of total nitrogen.
Good : has acid odor and taste; exhibits trace amounts of butyric acid;
has a pH value of 4.2-4.5; has ammonia nitrogen equivalent to 10-15%
of total nitrogen.
Fair : shows presence of butyric acid; shows presence of molds; has a
pH value of 4.5-4.8; has ammonia nitrogen equivalent to 15-20% of total
nitrogen.
Poor : has an amount of butyric acid; is slimy; shows presence of molds; has
pH value of 4.8; has ammonia nitrogen equivalent to 20% higher
UREA-TREATED RICE STRAW
Rice straw can be better utilized by goats when treated with
urea.
For urea treated rice straw contains 30% more energy and twice
more protein, compared to untreated rice straw (CASREN, 2003).
This is prepared by mixing 10 kg dissolved rice straw with a
solution 600 g of urea into 10 liters of water.
The mixture should then be stored in anaerobic condition for 7 to
14 days.
Before feeding, expose the treated straw for one day.
UREA-MOLASSES-MINERAL BLOCK
The use of Urea-Molasses-Mineral Block (UMMB) is
highly recommended during lean month feeding or
when goats are fed with low quality forage materials.
The UMMB is a cheap source of mineral supplement in
the form of lick-block.
Aside from mineral elements, the UMMB provides non-
protein nitrogen and energy due to the presence of
urea and rice bran, respectively.
IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE UMMB
• Increases microbial protein synthesis
• Supplies essential nutrients
• Causes no toxicity
• Easy to handle and transport
• Commercially feasible to produce
FUNCTIONS OF INGREDIENTS
• Molasses- source of readily available energy; makes the block palatable to the
animal.
• Urea- Supplies NH3 needed by the rumen microbes to synthesize microbial protein for
the animal.
• Cement, calcite powder, Sodium (Na) bentonite- Serve as binder for the block;
source of calcium and sodium.
• Rice bran- Provides by-pass protein and fermentable energy; serves as carrier of
other ingredients.
• Salt- Improves palatability; source of sodium and chlorine.
• Trace Minerals- These are sources of macro and micro minerals.
MIXING PROCEDURE
1. Place the weighed individual ingredients into the bucket.
2. Mix urea and molasses into the cement mixer until the urea is dissolved.
3. Dissolve cement in a little water and mix with urea-molasses solution through continuous
mixing.
4. Add salt, trace minerals, and bone meal one after the other into the solution, and allow
mixing for 15 minutes.
5. Add the rice bran gradually until a homogenous mixture is attained. Allow another 10
minutes mixing until the mixture forms a dough-like product.
6. Unload the mixture and put into the molder with the tamper.
7. Allow the product to cure for two weeks before packing and selling.
FEEDING THE BLOCK
The UMMB can be fed ad libitum to goats.
Mature goats can lick 50-80 grams per day.
Precautions
• Do not offer the UMMB to animals younger than 6
months old, and to those pregnant animals on their
last trimester of pregnancy.
• Drinking water should be available (free choice)
when feeding with UMMB.
• Avoid feeding the block along with rain water.
