Abstract
After harvesting the berries from the elderberry plant, the remaining plant residue can serve as a fodder for ruminants. A laboratory silo experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a) ensiling immediately after cutting [38–47% dry matter (DM), or after wilting (47–54% DM)] and b) ensiling dates: early post-harvest, mid post-harvest, and late post-harvest on the nutritive values and fermentation parameters of ensiled elderberry fodder. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) silos, measuring 10.2 cm in diameter and 29.2 cm in height, were built with rubber end caps and metal brackets to secure 2.4 L of chopped elderberry. Early-harvest and unwilted fodder exhibited the lowest DM ( P P P P = 0.017), phosphorus ( P = 0.005), magnesium ( P P = 0.002), and sulfur ( P = 0.03). Early harvested and unwilted fodder exhibited the greater forage mineral concentrations in post-ensiled silage compared with wilting levels and harvest dates. Iron, zinc, manganese, ash, non-fiber carbohydrate, net energy for lactose, net energy for maintenance, and relative feed value concentrations in post-ensiled silage from late harvest were lower than those from early harvest fodder ( P