Effects of propionic acid and urea on the quality of wholecrop corn silage

A trial was carried out to estimate the effects of propionic acid and urea on the fermentation quality and chemical compositions of wholecrop corn silage. The treatments included the 0.3% propionic acid, 0.5% urea, 0.3% propionic acid and 0.5% urea and all corn were placed in sealed vacuum plastic bags and ensiled for 60 days. The results of this study showed that application of propionic acid decreased pH value, acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen content, and significantly increased the lactic acid content of silage corn (P0.05) when compared with control. The application of urea markedly improved the crude protein content of silage corn (P0.05). The combination of propionic acid and urea further improved the fermentation quality of silage.