Effects of molasses and commercial inoculant on silage quality of cultivated nettle (Urtica dioica L.)

• Published in: Journal of Central European agriculture Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 120 - 127
• Main Authors: Uher, Darko, Fabek Uher, Sanja, Opačić, Nevena, Radman, Sanja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sveuciliste U Zagrebu 01-03-2024; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture
• Subjects: Analysis; chemical composition; commercial inoculant; Costs (Law); cultivated nettle; Fermentation; fermentation parameters; Lactic acid; molasses; Proteins; Proteolysis; Silage
• ISSN: 1332-9049; 1332-9049
• DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/25.1.4000

Cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L., a member of the Urticaceae family, is widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of the world and can be used as a nutritious feed for animals through the winter period. The aim of this research was to determine (i) the nutritional value of freshly cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L grown in the open field and (ii) the fermentation value of cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L ensiled with additives, including a commercial inoculant containing bacteria that produce lactic acid and molasses from sugar beet after 60 days of ensiling. Cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L was ensiled in six treatments: without additions (control); with sugar beet molasses (2,4, and 6%) per 1 kg of fresh mass and a commercial inoculant (2 and 4 g/t of fresh mass) in five replicates. The results of this research showed that the cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L contains a large proportion of proteins and some essential minerals, including calcium, and is especially rich in magnesium and iron. Without the addition of sugar beet molasses and without treatment with a commercial inoculant, poorly preserved silage from cultivated nettle was obtained. With 2% molasses, poorly preserved silage was obtained, but with 4 and 6% molasses, well-preserved silage from cultivated nettle was obtained. Based on the results of these studies, it is recommended to use sugar beet molasses during ensiling in a concentration of 4 to 6% of the fresh mass of cultivated nettle. In future research, it would be interesting to test the joint application of commercial inoculants and sugar beet molasses when preparing cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L. for silage on the farm. Keywords: cultivated nettle, silage, molasses, commercial inoculant, chemical composition, fermentation parameters Kultivirana kopriva Urtica dioica L., clan porodice Urticaceae, siroko je rasprostranjena u umjerenim dijelovima svijeta i moze se koristiti kao krma za hranidbu zivotinja u zimskom razdoblju. Cilj je ovog istrazivanja bio utvrditi (i) hranjivu vrijednost svjeze kultivirane koprive Urtice dioica L. uzgojene na otvorenom polju i (ii) fermentacijske vrijednosti kultivirane koprive Urtica dioica L. silirane s dodacima, ukljucujuci komercijalni inokulant koji sadrzi bakterije koje proizvode mlijecnu kiselinu te melasu od secerne repe 60 dana nakon siliranja. Kultivirana kopriva Urtica dioica L. silirana je u sest tretmana: bez dodataka (kontrola); s melasom secerne repe (2, 4 i 6%) na 1 kg svjeze mase i komercijalnim inokulantom (2 i 4 g/t svjeze mase) u pet ponavljanja. Istrazivanjem je utvrdeno da kultivirana kopriva Urtica dioica L. sadrzi velik udio bjelancevina i nekih neophodnih minerala, ukljucujuci kalcij, a posebice je bogata magnezijem i zeljezom. Bez dodavanja melase od secerne repe i bez tretmana komercijalnim inokulantom dobivena je lose ocuvana silaza od kultivirane koprive. Sa 2% melase dobivena je slabo ocuvana silaza, ali sa 4 i 6% melase dobivena je dobro ocuvana silaza od kultivirane koprive. Na temelju rezultata ovih istrazivanja moze se preporuciti upotreba melase od secerne repe prilikom siliranja u koncentraciji od 4 do 6% svjeze mase kultivirane koprive. U buducim istrazivanjima, bilo bi zanimljivo testirati i zajednicku primjenu komercijalnih inokulanata i melase od secerne repe kod spremanja kultivirane koprive Urtica dioica L. za silazu na farmi. Kljucne rijeci: kultivirana kopriva, silaza, melasa, komercijalni inokulant, kemijski sastav, parametri fermentacije Cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L., a member of the Urticaceae family, is widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of the world and can be used as a nutritious feed for animals through the winter period. However, cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L. is difficult to ensile due to the low content of water-soluble carbohydrates and moisture and the high buffering capacity of the fresh mass. Because it does not contain the required sugar minimum for successful lactic acid fermentation, it is necessary to apply chemical or bacterial inoculants in the conservation of cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L Otherwise, untreated silage accelerates the activity of Clostridium butyricum which uses existing sugars for its activity which leads to the production of small amounts of lactic acid an increase in the content of butyric acid, and intense degradation of proteins and amino acids. However, very little data is available on the fermentation properties of cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L ensiled with supplements (inoculants, molasses, grains). The aim of this research was to determine (i) the nutritional value of freshly cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L grown in the open field and (ii) the fermentation value of cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L ensiled with additives, including a commercial inoculant containing bacteria that produce lactic acid and molasses from sugar beet after 60 days of ensiling. Cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L was ensiled in six treatments: without additions (control); with sugar beet molasses (2, 4, and 6%) per 1 kg of fresh mass and a commercial inoculant (2 and 4 g/t of fresh mass) in five replicates. The results of this research showed that the cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L contains a large proportion of proteins and some essential minerals, including calcium, and is especially rich in magnesium and iron. Without the addition of molasses and without treatment with a commercial inoculant, poorly preserved silage from cultivated nettle was obtained. With 2% molasses, poorly preserved silage was obtained, but with 4 and 6% molasses, well-preserved silage from cultivated nettle was obtained. Based on the results of these studies, it is recommended to use molasses during ensiling in a concentration of 4 to 6% of the fresh mass of cultivated nettle. In future research, it would be interesting to test the joint application of commercial inoculants and sugar beet molasses when preparing cultivated nettle Urtica dioica L for silage on the farm.