Sugarcane Silage
Sugarcane can be ensiled like other forage crops,
but its nutritive value is significantly reduced.
Florida data (16) showed a total digestible nutrient
(TDN) value of 62.0% for fresh sugarcane fed to
steers, and a value of only 45.5% for ensiled cane.
Metabolism studies (14) with sheep confirmed the
relatively low TDN value of sugarcane silage. It was
shown that the TDN value of 51.6, 48.1, and 41.5%,
respectively for 6, 12, and 24 month old cane was
negatively related to the maturity of the cane when
ensiled.
The large reduction in the TDN value of cane
was attributed to the sugar which is fermented readily
to ethanol by yeast, an inefficient fermentation
pathway. Also, sugarcane has a high moisture content
(70 to 80%), which is not ideal for making good
silage and results in excessive seepage losses in most
conventional silos.