By
Ndumiso
Tshuma
Stover
—
the
stalks
and
leaves
left
over
after
harvesting
crops
like
maize
—
is
often
abundant
at
the
end
of
the
growing
season
but
has
limited
nutritional
value
for
animals
in
its
raw
state.
Nqobani
Manyabi,
an
animal
science
specialist
at
EL
Ganado
Consultancy,
said
treating
stover
with
urea
could
significantly
improve
its
quality
as
livestock
feed.
“Crop
residues
like
maize
stover
have
low
protein
content
and
high
fibre,
which
makes
them
difficult
for
animals
to
digest,”
said
Manyabi.
“Treating
the
stover
with
urea
increases
its
nitrogen
content,
improves
palatability
and
makes
it
easier
for
livestock
to
digest.”
Manyabi
explained
that
farmers
need
about
1,000kg
of
dry
stover,
50kg
of
urea
and
200
litres
of
water
to
carry
out
the
process.
The
stover
is
stacked
in
layers
of
100kg
in
a
pit
lined
with
black
plastic
sheeting.
Each
layer
is
then
sprayed
with
20
litres
of
water
mixed
with
urea
and
compacted
to
remove
air,
which
aids
fermentation
and
reduces
mould.
The
pit
is
sealed
with
plastic
and
covered
with
soil.
The
treatment
process
takes
between
21
and
35
days,
depending
on
weather
conditions.
Once
ready,
the
treated
stover
is
aired
in
a
shaded
area
for
a
week
before
being
fed
to
animals.
“The
poorer
the
initial
quality
of
the
stover,
the
greater
the
improvement
after
treatment,”
said
Manyabi.
“Research
shows
that
animals
fed
on
untreated
stover
may
lose
50
to
100
grams
of
weight
per
day,
but
with
treated
stover,
they
can
gain
a
similar
amount
daily.
Milk
yields
can
also
increase
by
up
to
a
litre.”
Manyabi
said
various
crop
residues
could
be
treated,
including
wheat
and
rice
straws
in
addition
to
maize
stover.
He
emphasised
that
using
treated
stover
offers
a
sustainable
and
cost-effective
way
to
boost
livestock
productivity
while
reducing
waste.
“This
method
provides
farmers
with
an
opportunity
to
maximise
the
use
of
available
resources,
contributing
to
both
economic
and
environmental
sustainability,”
he
said.
In
addition
to
urea-treated
stover,
Manyabi
highlighted
the
role
of
silage
—
fermented
green
forage
crops
—
in
providing
animals
with
high-quality
feed
during
dry
periods.
Silage
is
made
by
harvesting
forage
crops
at
the
right
stage
of
growth,
chopping
them
into
small
pieces,
and
compacting
them
in
airtight
storage
to
promote
fermentation
by
natural
lactic
acid
bacteria.
“Proper
compaction
and
sealing
are
critical
to
exclude
oxygen
and
create
an
environment
where
beneficial
bacteria
can
thrive,”
said
Manyabi.
“This
process
preserves
nutrients
and
ensures
a
steady
supply
of
nutritious
feed
for
animals.”
Manyabi
added
that
successful
silage-making
could
help
farmers
reduce
feed
shortages,
maintain
milk
production
and
support
livestock
health
even
during
challenging
seasons.