*3.4.2. Competing conventional silage*

The plant, microbial and environmental factors that influence the fermentation process determine the nutrient value of the mixed silage. These factors must be considered as an integrated package to facilitate optimum forage preservation process. Moreover, it is now observed that the use of ensiled alternative forages have positive influence on voluntary feed intake (VFI), nutrient use efficiency and productivity of livestock systems [2, 30]. This would encourage the livestock farmers to preserve nutrients for future use and sustain whole farm productivity. A list of mixed silage evaluated in various countries in the feeding of native ruminant livestock is detailed in **Table 1**.


increase amino acid absorption in the intestinal tract. The combination of grasses and legumes in ruminant feed is very effective for a highly nutritious diet. This allows the farmers to use its surplus or seasonal plenty or available at hand plant biomass resources to preserve as silage to feed during scarce or unavailability. Successful ensiling can be evaluated by determining the relationships between fermentation characteristics and microbial diversity in silages. Reducing the moisture content of the crops through substitution with other high DM forages could be another approach. Moreover, nutrient composition analysis following up with palatability study can very well evaluate the combinations of different silages involving local grasses, tree forages, browses and monsoon-favored less/non-tested abundantly grown plant biomass. This versatility allows the farmers to use their wisdom to choose and harvest the available forage biomass at hand for preserving as silage. Above all, year-round feed and nutrient supply to the livestock can certainly enhance per animal/whole farm productivity, thereby enabling the livestock husbandry sustainable and profitable. Some of the questions that continue to be answered for harnessing possible beneficial effects of plants rich in phytochemicals as a part of silage are

• Can mixed silage concept is more versatile, if at all, the effect of high N containing feed-

• Tannins/polyphenols that are suitable for adding during ensiling need to be identified based on their chemical characteristics, affinity to form complexes during ensiling and rumen fermentation and release of tannin-protein complexes at different pH of stomach and

• Comparing results from simulated rumen *in vitro* system studies for stability of complexes and release of bound N from rumen of silage with tannins added during ensiling, can help evaluate efficacy of tannins for utilization of N in grasses and leguminous forages by

• Feeding trials in different ruminant species fed on grass silages with or without tannins and the effects of supplemental tannins pre- and post-feeding on excretion of N and N-

• Effect of other plant phytochemicals on ensiling process and post-consumption effect on

The plant, microbial and environmental factors that influence the fermentation process determine the nutrient value of the mixed silage. These factors must be considered as an integrated package to facilitate optimum forage preservation process. Moreover, it is now observed that the use of ensiled alternative forages have positive influence on voluntary feed intake (VFI), nutrient use efficiency and productivity of livestock systems [2, 30]. This would encourage the livestock farmers to preserve nutrients for future use and sustain whole farm productivity. A list of mixed silage evaluated in various countries in the feeding of native ruminant livestock

intestine, and also keeping in view their toxic and anti-nutritional effects.

metabolites for evaluating efficacy of tannins on overall N economy.

ruminal N and energy use efficiency both in vitro and in vivo.

stuffs on silage quality and preservation process?

20 Ruminants - The Husbandry, Economic and Health Aspects

ruminants.

*3.4.2. Competing conventional silage*

is detailed in **Table 1**.


**3.5. Silage from alternate forages**

Amaranth is a dicotyledonous species and commonly considered as a pseudo-cereal, which has a good yield performance up to 86.4 t fresh forage/ha [40] with promising nutritive value [30, 41–43] and CP up to 285 g/kg DM with useful minerals including Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg and P. It is adaptable to varying climatic and agronomic conditions, tolerance to drought as well as a low water requirement [44]. The use of Amaranthus silage in the diet of fattening Moghani lambs up to 300 g/kg of dietary DM improved total gain and carcass weight without any adverse effect on lean-to-fat ratio and animal health and demonstrated its replacement value for maize silage [36]. A small bag ensiling technology is being promoted as a useful and low

Silage for Climate Resilient Small Ruminant Production http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74667 23

*Moringa oleifera* has attracted the attention of researchers in recent times, and its intensive cultivation with the application of fertilizer and water supply gives a DM yield up to 120 tonnes/ ha, with 7–8 cuttings in a year [46]. Moringa leaves are high in CP and phytochemicals that reported to have a positive influence on lactation performance [47, 48]. Sole Moringa silage, or in combination with fresh *Panicum maximum* in equal proportion, may not be promising dry season feed conservation strategies for ruminants, while silage mixtures of 50% Moringa +10–30% Guinea grass and 20–40% wheat offals showed great potentials [35]. It should preferably be ensiled in mixtures with conventional and/or unconventional forages to increase the VFI and nutritive value of the silage. This is often considered as a perennial forage surplus to

Cactus, particularly the *Opuntia* species, is grown in semi-arid regions of many tropical countries and is often fed to livestock during summer to provide both feed and water [31]. However, the excess biomass during other season can be preserved suitable as silage for feeding during scarcity [30]. It was observed that mixing cactus and browse in silage making improved both DM and N content in the product. Similarly, it can be mixed with legume forages and hays by supplying a degradable source of organic matter. The cactus + browse or cactus + legume silages improve microbial protein flow to the lower gut for digestion and supply of amino acid for maintenance, growth and production. These silages could be used in livestock feeding to improve livelihoods in drier and resource constrained farming communities by providing opportunities for conservation of forage and maintaining their animals in periods of feed scarcity. The nutritive value of silage from cactus cladodes was evaluated and found acceptable quality silage based on pH, organic acids contents and voluntary intake. It might be advantageous to ensile cactus mixed with other ingredients and improving utilization of poor quality roughages with the addition of cactus-browse silages as supplements [31]. Abidi et al. [49] ensiled fresh cactus cladodes with olive cake and wheat bran and found no adverse effect on

cost tool to improve production in smallholder livestock farms [45].

preserve as silage to meet round the year feed requirements.

*3.5.1. Amaranthus silage*

*3.5.2. Moringa silage*

*3.5.3. Cactus silage*

\* Forages used in silage display botanical names.

1 Forages in dry form.

DM, dry matter; OM, organic matter; CP, crude protein; EE, ether extract; TCHO, total carbohydrates; NDF, neutral detergent fiber and ADF, acid detergent fiber.

**Table 1.** Dry matter and nutrient composition (% DM basis) of different types of unconventional silages.
