Goyal, MeenakshiJaspreet Kaur2019-05-272019-05-272019http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810104806The present investigation was aimed at studying the improvement of fermentation and nutritive quality of rice straw green-feedstuff silage by inclusion of different additives. Two experiments were carried out, in the first experiment paddy straw (Pusa basmati 1121, PR121) and maize fodder were mixed in the ratios 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100 for preparation of silage. In the second experiment, paddy straw and sugarcane tops were mixed in the ratios 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100 for preparation of silage. These combinations were treated with urea, molasses and urea+molasses as an additive. The silage was opened after 45 days, analyzed for fermentation characteristics, chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), oxalate and tannins. Acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), crude fibre (CF), ash, pH and dry weight (DW) increased with increase in the proportion of paddy straw in all combinations. As a result of 2% urea treatment: IVDMD, crude protein (CP), acid detergent lignin (ADL), tannins and net gas production (NGP) of paddy straw and maize fodder were increased by 17.79-25.35%, 12.48-14.89%, 9.13-11.26%, 4.61-11.32% and 8.24-8.76% respectively, whereas in sugarcane tops IVDMD, CP, ADL, tannins and NGP increased with 2% urea by 27.26%, 35.84%, 10.90%, 11.81% and 67.17% respectively over control. Urea treatment considerably reduced the oxalate content of sugarcane tops. In the present study, silage prepared from 50:50 and 25:75 ratios of paddy straw:maize fodder and 25:75, 0:100 ratios of paddy straw:sugarcane top had good aroma and fermentation characteristics which can be used in silage formation.ennullThesis