Sustainable Use of Legume Residues: Effect on Nutritive Value and Ensiling Characteristics of Maize Straw Silage

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritive value, in vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD), and ensiling characteristics legume foliage–maize straw silages. For silage, proportion maize 20%:80% (maize–lablab (ML), maize–indigenous cowpea (MI), maize–Betswit (MB), maize–Dr Saunders (MD)). Maize alone (M) used as a control, making up five treatments. Silages were opened after 45 days, samples taken for chemical composition, IVDMD, fermentation analysis. Other put through seven-day aerobic stability test. All data subjected one-way analysis variance, completely randomized design (CRD). value ML had highest (p < 0.05) crude protein (CP) content, when compared with other Maize–Betswit lowest neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid (ADF), lignin (ADL) ether-extract (EE) hemicellulose content recorded MI silage. pH silages similar > amounts lactic (LA), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), yeast, mould counts. carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, IVDMD from 24 h 72 h. addition legumes resulted improved silage quality characteristics.