PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MAIZE SILAGE AS INFLUENCED BY VARIETY, FERTILIZER RATE AND AGE OF HARVEST IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of variety, fertilizer rate and age of harvest on physicochemical properties of silage made from two maize varieties (Double Red Maize (DRM), and SAMMAZ 17) at the experimental farm of the feeds and nutrition research programme, National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) Shika Zaria, Kaduna State. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with 2×4×3 factorial arrangements. The treatment consisted of two varieties of maize (DOUBLE-RED and SAMMAZ 17), receiving four NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer rates (0, 60, 120, and 180kg/ha) and three sampling periods (6, 10 and 14 weeks after sowing) (WAS). Forage materials were harvested at 6, 10 and 14 weeks after sowing in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and then chopped to 2 cm with a forage chopper. The chopped forage materials were allowed to wilt for 24 hours and ensiled in glass jars for the period of twenty-one days for proper fermentation to occur after which the silage was opened for the determination of physicochemical characteristics. Result showed that variety had no significant (P>0.05) effect on all parameters measured, however fertilizer rates significantly (P<0.05) affected pH and age of harvest showed significant (P<0.05) differences on pH and temperature of maize silage. Fertilizer rate of 180kg/ha had the lower but relatively better pH (5.06) compared to 0, 60 and 120 kg/ha (5.37, 5.32 and 5.29) respectively. Lower values of temperature and pH (23.82 ⁰C and 4.52, respectively) was recorded at 14 WAS. It was concluded from the result of the study that the pH of maize silage decreases from 5.63 to 4.52 and temperature from 27.57 to 23.82 ℃ as age of harvest advances from 6 to 14 WAS. It can be recommended that farmers can delay maize harvest till 14WAS for good silage properties.