Abstract:

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of different additives on fresh or wilted red clover silage. The red clover during full flowering stage was moved and ensilaged in bags. Three additive treatments were designed. They were control without additive, formic acid (6 mL/kg silage) and sucrose (2%). The silage was sampled and analyzed after 360 days of storage. The fermentation quality of silage was improved in the formic acid or the sucrose treatment. The pH of red clover silage was extremely significantly improved under wilt conditions (P<0.01), but lactic acid was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01). The pH and the contents of acetic acid and propionic acid in the red clover silage were extremely significantly decreased in the formic acid or the sucrose treatment (P<0.01), but the lactic acid was extremely significantly increased (P<0.01). The dry matter recovery of silage was significantly increased in the formic acid treatment (P<0.05). The nitrate content of red clover was reduced after being ensilaged.