Forage Yield, Chemical Contents, and Silage Quality of Manure Soybean

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Abstract
Use of local leguminous manure crops as forage has become important in southern Asia because regularly producing high‐quality forage legumes is difficult with the high amount of precipitation. This study evaluated whether manure soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] could be used as forage and silage. Two cultivars of manure soybean were produced in two growing seasons and harvested at different growth stages. The highest forage yields were 9.3 Mg ha−1 for soybean cultivar Tainan No. 4 (TN4) at stage R5 (beginning seed) and 13.0 Mg ha−1 for cultivar Tainan No. 7 (TN7) at stage R7 (beginning maturity). Crude protein (CP) content was highest at R5 for TN4 and at R7 for TN7. The CP content of TN7 did not differ between spring and fall crops, but that of TN4 was 5 to 8% higher in the spring than fall. With advanced growth from R5 to R7, acid detergent fiber (ADF) content increased for TN7 but not TN4. The mean Flieg's point for silage was 26.5, 50.7, and 56.1 for ensiling treatments of soybean alone and soybean with Nilegrass (Acroceras macrum Stapf.) or corn (Zea mays L.) meal, respectively. The mean Flieg's point for silage made from soybean harvested at R3 (beginning bloom), R5 and R7 was 38.4, 47.5 and 47.3, respectively. Thus, manure soybean harvested at R5 can produce forage with high yield and good quality. The silage quality of manure soybean can be improved by ensiling with Nilegrass or corn meal.

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