Tuyển tập báo cáo nghiên cứu khoa học của trường đại học nông nghiệp 1 đề tài: Effects of treatment of fresh rice straw on its nutritional characteristics. | Journal of Science and Development April 2008 129-135 HANOI UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE EFFECTS OF TREATMENT OF FRESH RICE STRAW ON ITS NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Nguyen Xuan Trach and Bui Quang Tuan Faculty of Animal and Aquacultural Science Hanoi University of Agriculture ABSTRACT Treatment of fresh rice straw right after harvesting was tried as an effort for preservation together with improvement of its feeding value for better utilization as roughage. Fresh straw was ensiled with either urea 1 and 2 w w or molasses 1 2 and 3 w w in small silos for different lengths of time 30 60 and 90 days . Evaluation was made based on color mold smell pH chemical composition DM CP ADF NDF ADL ash as well as in-sacco degradation characteristics A B c and L . It was found that making silage of fresh straw without addition of molasses resulted in extensive mold development and could not reduce pH low enough for good preservation pH . Addition of 3 molasses reduced pH low enough for effective preservation of straw with good color and smell however an upper part of straw silage was still molded. However urea treatment allowed to preserve fresh straw without either molding or organic matter loss. Urea treatment highly increased pH 8 dramatically increased crude protein significantly reduced NDF with improved in-sacco degradability of straw. The higher the level of urea was applied the better the effect was found. It is therefore recommended that fresh rice straw be treated with urea for long-term preservation and improving its feeding value. Key words Fresh rice straw chemical composition pH in-sacco degradability 1. INTRODUCTION Cattle in Vietnam are underfed during the winter-spring period while rice straw is abundant Nguyen Xuan Trach 1998 . Because rice straw is voluminous it is costly for farmers to transport and store and difficult for cattle to consume enough nutrients. Although numerous methods of treatment have been developed to improve the feeding value
