Comparative Composition of Napier Silage Prepared by Using Conventional and Probiotic Methods

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics to improve its nutrient contents when Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) is ensiled this way, compared to using the conventional method. Napier grass was chopped and one portion was ensiled anaerobically by compacting it into the conventional blue plastic drum, while the other portion of a half tonne was prepared by spraying and mixing with three types of probiotics, the BIOBAC 1, 2 and 3, made up of bacteria, fungus and enzymes. The probiotics were diluted with water at the rate of 100 mL per tonne for each type, and placed into a haversack sprayer and sprayed and mixed into the material. They were then heaped into the shape of a mount in a concrete floored housing and left to ferment and mature for 21 days. Only during the first five days did the heap need to be moist, to allow for the fungus to somewhat germinate, by spraying with just plain water over the top of the mount if necessary. After that it was left as it was to mature and dry. The conventional silage was prepared by using the anaerobic fermentation method in the traditional plastic drum and was also left to mature over 21 days. After the 21-day period, ensiling samples from both types of silage were taken, dried and subjected to chemical evaluation in the laboratory using the methods recommended by the Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC) for comparison. The proximate analysis of both silages was conducted at the Malaysian Veterinary Institute, Kluang, Johor. In the probiotic silage, percentage of nutrients dry matter content (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), crude fiber (CF), ash, Calcium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen free extract (NFE), total digestible nutrients (TDN), metabolizable energy (ME) and pH were determined at 65.06%, 9.50%, 0.84%, 42.72%, 6.92%, 0.18%, 0.16%, 40.06%, 49.48%, 7.25 MJ/Kg dan 6.82%, respectively. Whilst for the conventional silage the nutrient contents were determined at 23.40%, 6.26%, 1.92%, 49.56%, 3.96%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 38.26%, 42.22%, 6.06 MJ/Kg dan 5.51%, respectively. The nutrient contents of OPF silage prepared by the probiotic method were all significantly higher than those of conventional OPF silage. This study shows that the probiotics method has highly significantly improved some of the nutrient contents of Napier silage, although the EE, CF, ash and pH showed non-significance, which indicated that the probiotics method could not improve the contents of all nutrients in silage. Thus, probiotics is a potential alternative silage making tool in Malaysia which would result in value-added properties in the resulting silage, especially for protein and energy, the most important nutrients needed in animal feeds.

 

Keywords: Conventional silage, probiotics, fermentation, proximate analysis

 

 

ABSTRAK

 

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menilai kecekapan probiotik dalam memperbaiki kandungan nutrien silaj rumput Napier, berbanding dengan penggunaan kaedah konvensional. Rumput Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) telah dicincang secara mekanikal dan satu bahagian darinya diperam di dalam tong plastik biru konvensional untuk tujuan fermentasi secara anaerobik; manakala baki satu bahagian lagi seberat setengah tan disiram dengan bancuhan tiga jenis probiotik dinamakan BIOBAC 1, 2 dan 3, yang mengandungi bakteria, fungus dan enzim. Probiotik telah dibancuh dengan air biasa, pada dos 100 mL per tan bahan bagi setiap jenis, dan dimasukkan ke dalam tong penyembur haversack dan disembur serta digaul rata ke dalam bahan. Bahan kemudiannya dikumpul setempat dalam bentuk busut di dalam bangsal berlantai konkrit dan dibiarkan selama 21 hari sehingga menapai dan matang. Cuma dalam masa lima hari pertama sahaja timbunan perlu sentiasa dilembabkan, untuk membolehkan percambahan fungus, dengan cara menyiram dengan air biasa keatasnya bila perlu. Seterusnya timbunan dibiarkan untuk matang dan kering. Silaj konvensional adalah disediakan dengan menggunakan kaedah fermentasi anaerobik di dalam tong plastik biru konvensional dan kemudian juga dibiarkan matang dalam masa 21 hari. Selepas 21 hari, sampel jerukan daripada kedua-dua jenis silaj diambil, dikering dan dianalisis bahan kimia di makmal mengikut kaedah Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC) untuk perbandingan. Analisis proksimat kedua-dua jenis silaj telah dijalankan di Institut Veterinar Malaysia, Kluang, Johor. Pada silaj probiotik; peratusan kandungan bahan kering, protein kasar, lemak kasar, serabut kasar, abu, kalsium, forforus, ekstrak bebas nitrogen, jumlah nutrien tercerna, tenaga termetabolisme dan pH ialah masing-masing 65.06%, 9.50%, 0.84%, 42.72%, 6.92%, 0.18%, 0.16%, 40.06%, 49.48%, 7.25 MJ/Kg dan 6.82%, secara berurutan. Manakala untuk silaj konvensional; kandungan nutrien ialah 23.40%, 6.26%, 1.92%, 49.56%, 3.96%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 38.26%, 42.22%, 6.06 MJ/Kg dan 5.51%, secara berurutan. Kandungan nutrien silaj probiotik didapati lebih tinggi secara bererti berbanding kandungan nutrien silaj konvensional. kajian ini menunjukkan, kaedah probiotik telah memperbaiki sebahagian sahaja kandungan nutrien silaj Napier terutamanya protein dan tenaga. Pembaikan kandungan EE, CF, abu dan pH adalah tidak bererti, yang menunjukkan bahawa kaedah probiotik tidak dapat memperbaiki kandungan semua nutrien silaj. Oleh itu, probiotik adalah alat alternatif untuk penghasilan silaj yang berpotensi di Malaysia, yang menghasilkan sifat tambah-nilai dalam silaj yang dihasilkan, terutama protein dan tenaga, iaitu nutrien yang terpenting yang diperlukan dalam makanan haiwan.

 

Kata kunci: Silaj konvensional, probiotik, fermentasi, analisis proksimat