Topics:
Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher
Evaluation using Flieg-Index
"Flieg-index" is commonly used method for evaluation of:
- Hay quality
- Silage quality — Correct Answer
- Haylage quality
- Soilage quality
Explanation:
Correct Answer: Silage quality
The Flieg Index (also spelled Flieg's index) is a scoring system commonly used for evaluating the quality of silage. It uses the acid composition of silage (lactic, acetic, and butyric acid proportions) along with pH to assign a quality score.
Silage Quality Evaluation — Key Methods
- Flieg Index: Most commonly used method for silage quality evaluation
- Scores silage as Very Good, Good, Fair, or Bad based on fermentation acids and pH
Silage Quality Parameters
| Parameter | Very Good | Good | Fair |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 3.5–4.2 | 4.2–4.5 | ≥4.8 |
| NH₃-N (% of total N) | <10% | 10–15% | ≥20% |
| Butyric acid | Nil | Trace | Some |
Other Silage Notes
- Best silage crop: Maize (Zea mays)
- Colour of good silage: Yellowish or brownish-green
- AIV method (A.I. Virtanen): uses acid additives (H₂SO₄ & HCl); pH should be <4
Why Other Options Are Wrong
- Hay quality → evaluated by leaf:stem ratio, colour (green), vitamin content; Flieg index is not used
- Haylage quality → uses similar silage parameters but Flieg is specific to silage
- Soilage quality → freshness and contamination criteria; no Flieg scoring
📚 About this Topic — Animal Nutrition
This multiple choice question is from Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher. It has 4 options with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Practice more MCQs from Animal Nutrition to strengthen your preparation.
