Effect of harvest date on Arundo donax L. (giant reed) composition, ensilage performance, and enzymatic digestibility

•Harvest date affected composition of giant reed and ensilage performance.•Water soluble carbohydrates in giant reed increased from August to December.•Late-harvest resulted in higher ensilage quality than early-harvest.•Late-harvested giant reed could be less digestible than early-harvested giant reed.•Ensiled giant reed harvested at different times showed a comparable digestibility.

Composition and ensilage performance of giant reed harvested in August, October, November, and December, were evaluated and compared. Generally, late-harvested giant reed had higher dry matter content, lower nitrogen content, and higher water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content than early-harvested giant reed. During 90 days of ensilage, giant reed harvested in October, November, and December showed dry matter losses of about 1%, while giant reed harvested in August showed a higher dry matter loss of about 8%. During the ensilage process, more lactic acid was produced in late-harvested giant reed than in early-harvested giant reed. Late-harvested giant reed had a higher lignin content and lower enzymatic digestibility than early-harvested giant reed. However, enzymatic digestibility of all the giant reed biomass was improved by the 90-day ensilage process, reaching levels of 43–46%. In summary, ensilage could be used for storing giant reed biomass harvested at different times and for improving its digestibility.

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