Silanikove, N., MIGAL-Galilee Technological Center, Kiryat Shmona, 10200, Israel
Cohen, O., Ministry of Agriculture, Tel Aviv, Israel
Levanon, D., Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Kipnis, T., Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Kugenheim, Y., Ministry of Agriculture, Tel Aviv, Israel

When urea is added to green forage it is hydrolysed and NH3 is released. The possibility of utilizing the fungistatic effect of NH3 to preserve moist Panicum maximum as wet hay with urea was studied at a farm level. Panicum maximum was effectively preserved as wet hay for at least 1 month, which is the typical interval between harvests of perennials. Approximately two-thirds of the applied urea (3.1% urea-N on a dry matter basis) was retained in the material, of which 63% was retained as NH3. Approximately 45% of the retained NH3 and 92% of the retained urea was found in the water-insoluble fraction. Consequently, 62% of the total non-protein-N (NPN) retained was found in the water-insoluble fraction. Fungi and yeasts were mostly eliminated during the storage period, while the number of bacteria was markedly reduced. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) in vitro (70%) in the preserved material was maintained at the level recorded in the green material and this was achieved with minimal loss of organic components. © 1988.