Table 2.
Chemical composition of fresh hemp before and after ensiling for 4 and 8 months without or with formic acid (1.0% of fresh material) or preserved with urea (3.0% of dry material)
| Harvest year 2008 | Harvest year 2009 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Components, percentage of dry matter | Fresh | Ensiled without additives | Ensiled with formic acid | Fresh | Ensiled without additives | Preserved with urea | ||||
| Month 0 | Month 4 | Month 8 | Month 4 | Month 8 | Month 0 | Month 4 | Month 8 | Month 4 | Month 8 | |
| Dry matter, % | 30.3 | 27.8 | 27.6 | 28.5 | 29.3 | 63.4 | 58.5 | 64.5 | 66.7 | 68.5 |
| WSCa | 5.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| Glucose | 3.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Fructose | 2.4 | X | X | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | X | X | X |
| Glucansb | 7.5 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 6.4 | 6.9 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 2.2 |
| Cellulose | 37.1 | 41.2 | 36.3 | 37.5 | 40.7 | 35.9 | 38.3 | 42.4 | 46.5 | 39.8 |
| Arabinoxylans | 12.0 | 7.8 | 10.0 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 11.8 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 7.4 | 9.4 |
| Mannans | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1.9 |
| Galactans | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Galacturonic acid | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 3.9 |
| Lignin | 16.9 | 12.9 | 16.6 | 13.4 | 14.5 | 16.8 | 14.0 | 14.7 | 13.0 | 15.0 |
| Protein | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 9.4 | 10.0 |
| Ash | 8.0 | 9.7 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.2 |
Samples were extracted with acetone. Water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and fructose were determined from the filtrates of the blended crop.
aNon-structural carbohydrates expressed as total monosaccharides.
bGlucans from non-cellulose parts.
X = < 0.5% of dry matter.