No abstract

Maize silage (MS) has become one of the major energy components in ruminant nutrition. The maize crop is suitable for ensiling and is of high dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the effect of cutting height and maize crop maturity at harvest on the chemical composition of MS and fermentation quality in a silo. With an increase in cutting height and maize crop maturity, the content of dry matter (DM) in MS increases to about 400 g DM/kg of fresh crop, after which it does not change, crude protein (CP) CP content increases or remains the same, the ash content decreases or remains the same, starch content increases, and the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) decreases or remains the same. The cutting height and maize crop maturity at harvest have no effect on pH value, lactic, acetic neither butyric acid but increases the amount of ethanol and decreases the ammonium nitrogen (NH 3 -N) in MS.

Demands for higher production and consumer demand for healthier food have encouraged intensive research for alternative animal growth promoters in recent years. Research trends are focused on the development of new products enriched with feed additives to improve animal health and enhancing production. Many of these compounds are unstable in the presence of light, air, water, or high temperatures and need to be protected during processing, storage, and application. By encapsulatied in microparticles, feed additives are protected from harmful external influences, and their stability and functionality are not diminished. Microencapsulation technology is used to protect payload and improve bioavailability by controlled and targeted delivery to the digestive tract. It is particularly suitable for the addition of feed additives in ruminant’s nutrition, because the correct choice of microparticle material allows the release of the feed additives in the small intestine, and not in the rumen. With proper use, microparticle formulations are an effective tool in animal nutrition that delivers nutrients and/or drugs to a specific site at the desired rate. The paper summarizes laboratory studies on the application of microencapsulation technology in feeding ruminants and monogastric animals. Numerous results of the application of encapsulated feed additives have shown a positive effect on animal health, increased productivity without negative effects on the final product, and environmental protection.

Maize silage (MS) is one of the most important energy forage used in ruminant diets because of its high energy content and good palatability. It can be fed as a sole feed or as a component of the ration for dairy and beef cattle. The aim of this paper is to review results published on maize crop maturity and cutting height in relation to yield and quality of MS with respect to dairy and beef cattle performance. As MS cutting height increases, dry matter yield (DM) decreases, but quality (MS) and animal performance increase, which is related to larger proportion of less digestible stalk remaining in the field. Higher cutting height of MS results in lower neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content, higher milk production and consequently lower milk fat (MF) content. MS maturity has a positive effect on animal performance up to a DM content of 280 – 330 g kg-1 fresh sample. Thereafter, DM intake, daily milk production (DMP) and crude protein content (CP) in milk mostly decrease or remain the same, as well as daily live weight gain (LWG) of beef cattle due to lower digestibility of organic matter (OM), starch and NDF in MS with higher DM content. It can be concluded that the cutting height and maturity of maize crop represent a kind of a compromise between DM and the starch content in MS, the fibre content necessary to maintain the function and health of the digestive system of ruminants, and the nutrient content of the feed to achieve maximum animal performance.

Silirana cijela biljka kukuruza (Zea mays L.) se uobičajeno koristi za hranidbu preživača, prvenstveno radi visoke pogodnosti biljke kukuruza za siliranje, visokog sadržaja energije i visokog prinosa suhe tvari (ST) po jedinici površine. Cilj ovog rada je prikazati tehnološke zahvate u proizvodnji kukuruzne silaže od odabira hibrida kukuruza za sjetvu, gustoću sklopa usjeva kukuruza za siliranje, zrelost usjeva kukuruza za siliranje, visinu košnje, prinos, duljinu sjeckanja, primjenu aditiva za siliranje, zatvaranje silosa te fermentaciju u silosu. Proizvodnja kukuruzne silaže se može potpuno mehanizirati, a usjev se kosi jedan puta godišnje, pa su niži troškovi radne snage i mehanizacije u usporedbi s npr. proizvodnjom travne silaže/sjenaže gdje se kosi i silira nekoliko otkosa krme tijekom vegetacijske sezone. Biljka kukuruza se silira nekoliko tjedana prije žetve kukuruza za zrno, pa se prema potrebi, određene površine pod kukuruzom za siliranje mogu žeti kasnije za proizvodnju zrna. Razvoj hibrida kukuruza je ključan u globalnim trendovima proizvodnje kukuruzne silaže, a izbor hibrida za sjetvu je najvažniji čimbenik profitabilne proizvodnje kukuruzne silaže. Prinos i hranidbena vrijednost kukuruzne silaže su ovisni o mikroklimatskim uvjetima uzgoja, svim agrotehničkim zahvatima uzgoja usjeva kukuruza te pravovremenoj i usklađenoj provedbi tehnoloških postupaka siliranja biljke kukuruza od košnje, punjenja i zatvaranja silosa do završetka fermentacije u silosu