Formaldehyde as a silage additive. I. The chemical composition and nutritive value of frozen lucerne, lucerne silage, and formaldehyde-treated lucerne silage

Abstract

Formaldehyde-treated silages, frozen lucerne, and untreated silage were prepared from a lucerne stand and offered to Merino wethers. Formalin was applied at rates of 16.6, 24.9, and 33.1 g formaldehyde per 100 g crude protein. Formaldehyde-treated silages had significantly lower concentrations of ammonia nitrogen and total and individual organic acids than did untreated silage, and hence the ensiling fermentation was inhibited by formaldehyde. Formaldehyde treatment of lucerne partly protected plant proteins against microbial degradation during in vitro rumen liquor digestion and so reduced ammonia nitrogen concentrations in the supernatant. Ad libitum dry matter intakes and in vivo dry matter and nitrogen digestibilities were significantly lower for the treated silages than for frozen lucerne or untreated silage. The treatment of lucerne with formaldehyde at concentrations of 16.6 g formaldehyde per 100 g crude protein and above was not a suitable method of controlling the ensiling fermentation to increase the voluntary consumption of lucerne silage by sheep.

Characterisation of peptides in silages made from perennial ryegrass with different silage additives

“…These effects of formic acid and the mixture of formic acid and formaldehyde on silage fermentation were similar to those reported by others. 4,5,11,12 Generally, when control silages are well preserved, formic acid and formaldehyde have the effect of restricting the formation of lactic and acetic acids and conserving the soluble carbohydrate component. 13 In the present experiment the concentrations applied to the herbage of formic acid, when applied alone, or of formaldehyde (81 g kg À1 herbage crude protein) were higher than normally used in commercial practice and therefore the restriction of fermentation encountered would rarely be seen in practice.…”

The production and utilization of lucerne in New Zealand

“…On its own, formaldehyde has not always prevented clostridial fermentation (Wilkins, 1978) and to overcome this, formic acid is added to the formaldehyde (Wilson and Wilkins, 1977). Dry matter intake of lucerne silage has been increased by formaldehyde treatment (Valentine and Brown, 1973;Wilkins et ai, 1974;Barry et ai, 1978a) but unlike formic acid it has been found that high rates depress intake (Brown and Valentine, 1972;Demarquilly et ai, 1977).…”

The effect of urea on the voluntary intake by calves of silages preserved with formaldehyde and formic acid

“…There is ample evidence that the voluntary intake of silage by ruminants is limited by the products of fermentation (Wiikins et al 1971;Brown and RadcIifiFe, 1972). The treatment of herbage with additives containing formaldehyde has produced silages containing low levels of both fermentation acids and the products of protein degradation (Brown and Valentine, 1972;Wiikins et al, 1974b). Further, the addition of formaldehyde to ensiled and dried grass has been shown to reduce dietary protein breakdown in the rumen and to lead to increased total flow of amino nitrogen to the small intestine (Beever et al, 1976).…”