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Composition and Nutritive Value of Whole Plant Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) Ensiled with and without Propionic Acid-Formaldehyde Treatment

Department of Animal Science

J. L. Butler and E. J. Williams

USDA, SEA/AR, University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Station, Tifton 31794

ABSTRACT

Whole plant peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) matured to the proper stage for seed pod harvest were uprooted, mechanically shaken to remove soil, chopped, and ensiled at about 33% dry matter content with and without propionic acid-formaldehyde (67:10 wt/wt) added at .93% of dry matter ensiled. Treatment altered fermentation and produced a pH of 4.50 versus 5.24 for untreated silage. Total sugars, lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in treated silage averaged 10.90, 4.02, .74, .51, and .02% of the dry matter and differed from the corresponding 8.40, .85, 1.64, .30, and .85% in untreated silage. Dry matter of the peanut silages averaged about 14% ether extract, 15% crude protein, and 43% acid detergent fiber. Dairy heifers fed diets of equal dry matter from corn silage plus treated or untreated peanut silages readily consumed dry matter equivalent to about 2.5% of body weight or approximately 14% more than heifers fed an all corn silage diet. Apparent percentage digestibilities of the corn silage, treated peanut-corn silage, and untreated peanut-corn silage diets were 45, 58, and 54 for crude protein, 78, 88, and 88 for ether extract, and 63, 62, and 58 for dry matter. Treatment of chopped peanuts with a propionic acid-formaldehyde preservative altered ensiling fermentation but failed to modify responses of animals fed diets containing the treated silages.