Evaluation of the silage quality of ramie mixed with rice and/or maize straws

In this study, the feasibility of producing a mixed ramie silage was investigated and its feed value was determined by sensory and nutritional evaluations. Fresh ramie was mixed with dried straws of maize and/or rice at the weight ratios of 1∶1∶0 (ZY), 1∶0∶1 (ZD), 2∶1∶1 (ZH), and 1∶1∶1 (ZL), or with sucrose at the weight ratio of 99∶1 (ZT), and whole fresh ramie silage was used as the control. The results showed that ramie alone (the control) could be used for silage, having improved feed value in terms of decreased neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents and increased dry matter intake and relative feed value. However, 23.6% of the crude protein (CP) was lost during ensiling, and a bad fermentation quality was acquired owing to the high pH and poor texture. Exogenous sucrose supplementation played a positive role in decreasing the CP loss but a negative role in improving the feed value. Although the silages of ramie mixed with maize and/or rice straws had lower CP losses, enhanced fermentation quality, and balanced nutrient components, their feed values were decreased owing to the increased NDF and ADF. The mixed ramie and rice straw silage (ZD) had a better feed value but worse fermentation quality and more CP loss than the mixed ramie and maize straw silage (ZY). The ZD and ZY silages showed better feed values than the ZH and ZL silages. We concluded that mixed silage preparations containing fresh ramie should be an effective way to tap into the feed value of the roughage, and further studies on regulating the NDF and ADF contents should be conducted.