Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan et al., 2011. Livest. Res. Rur. Dev., 23 (5): 105

The first experiment was conducted to evaluate effects on fermentation characteristics and nutritive value of ensiling, Tithonia diversifolia leaves and petioles with leaves and petioles of Taro ( Colocacia esculenta), with or without 5% molasses. The second experiment was a 4*4 Latin square arrangement applied to 4 crossbred castrated male pigs (60 kg live weight) fed diets with four levels of ensiled, Tithonia:Taro with 5% molasses equivalent to 0, 10, 15 and 20% substitution of a basal diet ir rice bran, broken rice, soybean meal and fish meal. The pigs were housed in metabolism cages for consecutive periods of 15 days, with collection of feces during the last 5 days of each period. All silages had an attractive smell. The pH in the ensiling mixture increased as the level of, Tithonia was raised, and decreased with ensiling time, the decrease being more pronounced when molasses was added. Lactic acid decreased with increased level of, Tithonia and increased with ensiling time, the relative increase being less marked as, Tithonia levels were raised. In all cases the lactic acid concentration was higher with addition of molasses. There were only slight decreases in digestibility coefficients of DM, CP and NDF (range of 4-5%) as the, Tithonia: Taro silage was increased from 0 to 20% of the diet. It is concluded that, Tithonia:Taro silage is of relatively high nutritive value, in terms of digestibility of the DM, NDF and crude protein for pigs.