The Quality Indices of Fodders from Some Common Millet Cultivars (Panicum Miliaceum) Under the Conditions of the Republic of Moldova

Diversifying crop production by including neglected and underused crops would provide a solution of the problems associated with climate change resilience, food security, forage production, feedstock for the circular economy. Today, one of the neglected and underused crops is also common millet Panicum miliaceum, which was been growing in our region for centuries. The main objectives of this research was to evaluate the forage productivity and quality indices of the green mass, silage and hay from common millet cultivars ‘Soiuz' and 'Marius' growing under the conditions of Central Zone the Republic of Moldova. We found that the forage productivity of the studied cultivars of common millet reached 35.9-46.9 t/ha green mass or 8.2-10.6 t/ha dry matter with 10.8-13.2% CP, 8.8-10.1% ash, 35.2-37.7% CF, 3.8-3.9% ADL, 33.3-35.1% Cel, 23.6-25.3% HC, 11.7-12.4% TSS, 586-599 g/kg DDM, 9.53-9.73 MJ/kg ME and 5.56-5.75 MJ/kg NEl. The prepared common millet hays contained: 9.18-13.2% CP, 8.7-10.4% ash, 36.8-40.8% CF, 3.8-3.9% ADL, 34.8-38.01% Cel, 24.3-26.3% HC, 9.3-9.4%TSS, 563-588 g/kg DDM, 9.20-9.57 MJ/kg ME and 5.22-5.59 MJ/kg NEl. The prepared silages had yellowish-green stems and leaves with pleasant smell like pickled apples, pH=3.97-4.06, 28.6-30.8 g/kg lactic acid, 3.6-4.1 g/kg acetic acid, 0.3 g/kg butyric acid, 10.9-11.6% CP, 10.3-11.1% ash, 34.7-38.9% CF, 2.6-2.9% ADL, 33.4-37.8% Cel, 25.3-26.0% HC, 572-609 g/kg DDM, 9.34-9.87 MJ/kg ME and 5.35-5.89 MJ/kg NEl. The common millet cultivars ‘Soiuz' and 'Marius' can be used as forage for livestock, as natural fodder, hay, silage.