The Effect of Maize and Sorghum-Sudangrass Crosses Intercropped with Soybean, Cowpea, Guar on Silage Yield and Quality

Silage is gaining popularity as animal feed every day. Maize and sorghum are the most common silage crops. Besides yield, quality and nutritional value are also significant attributes for silage. In this study, maize and sorghum-sudangrass crosses were grown alone and intercropped with soybean, cowpea and guar and harvested plants were ensilaged. Silage yield, silage pH, crude protein, crude ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) values were investigated. High silage yields were obtained from pure maize and low values were obtained from pure guar sowings. Intercropping systems had higher silage yields than pure-sown legumes. The pH values of all silages produced from all treatments (except for guar silage) were lower than 4.30. Legume silages had high and cereal silages had low crude protein ratios. Intercropping systems had higher crude protein ratios than pure sowings. Maize silage had the lowest and sorghum + guar silage had the greatest crude ash ratio. Pure-sown sorghum and maize silages had high NDF and ADF ratios, but intercropping systems had low NDF and ADF ratios. Sorghum sudangrass + guar silage had high and pure-sown cowpea had low ADL ratio. Although pure maize silage had quite high silage yield, quality and nutritional value of maize + soybean and maize + cowpea silages were better. Therefore, these two intercropping systems were recommended for high-quality silage. Incorporating legumes into cropping patterns will also contribute to sustainability of agricultural practices.