Effect of formaldehyde treatment on the chemical composition and nutritive value of silage

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Abstract
Untreated and formaldehyde (HCHO)-treated silages were offered ad libitum to young Romney sheep for 6 weeks, both with and without intraperitoneal supplementation with d-l methionine. Mean daily dry matter intakes, measured during weeks 5 and 6, were 48.3, 62.7, 74.4, and 73.1 g/kg W° 75 respectively for untreated silage, untreated silage plus methionine, HCHO-treated silage, and HCHO-treated silage plus methionine. The percentage of the daily intake which was consumed by 5 and 11 hr after feeding was greater for HCHO-treated than for untreated silage, but was unaffected by methionine supplementation. Live-weight gain was increased by HCHO treatment of silage. Supplementation with methionine increased weight gains on untreated silage, but the apparent increase on HCHO-treated silage did not attain significance. Wool growth rate and fibre diameter were increased by both HCHO treatment of silage and by methionine supplementation, but the responses to methionine were larger. Factors which may have contributed to the increased intake recorded on HCHO-treated silage are discussed. Wool growth rate and voluntary intake are discussed in relation to the availability of the sulphur-containing amino acids.