Assessing the effect of harvest period and wilting on the fermentation characteristics and nutritional parameters of North American elderberry silage

Authors: SHARMA ACHARYA, ROSHANI - University Of Missouri; Nieman, Christine; CONWAY-ANDERSON, ASHLEY - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Agroforestry Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/25/2026
Publication Date: 5/26/2026
Citation: Sharma Acharya, R., Nieman, C.C., Conway-Anderson, A.C. 2026. Assessing the effect of harvest period and wilting on the fermentation characteristics and nutritional parameters of North American elderberry silage. Agroforestry Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-026-01495-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-026-01495-7

Interpretive Summary: Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis) is a deciduous multi-stemmed woody shrub native to eastern and central North America. The elderberry fruit has been widely studied and the anthocyanins and vitamins derived from elderberry are utilized as colorants and antioxidants in food preservatives, and the berries are processed into pies, jellies, ice creams, and other human food products. Elderberries are harvested around mid-August to mid-September and after the berry harvest, the standing biomass is cut in preparation for spring growth. The leafy biomass is generally disposed of but could be ensiled for ruminant livestock feed. This study investigated the optimal date for elderberry harvest based on forage nutritive value and optimal moisture of the biomass at ensiling. Harvested and ensiled elderberry from September, regardless of moisture at ensiling, had comparable nutritive value to silage prepared from the most common grass forages in the U.S. The fodder silage had an acceptable pH (<5.5) for long-term storage and concentrations and proportions of volatile fatty acid were within acceptable ranges for other silages. Early harvested elderberry successfully ensiled and was determined to be the best option for livestock feeding as crude protein reduced greatly from September to October.

Technical Abstract: After harvesting the berries from the elderberry plant, the remaining plant residue can serve as a fodder for ruminants. A laboratory silo experiment with 2 × 3 factorial design was conducted to determine the effect of a) ensiling immediately after cutting (38-47% dry matter (DM)), or after wilting (47-54% dry matter ) and b) ensiling dates: early post-harvest (15 Sept), mid post-harvest (6 Oct), and late post-harvest (30 Nov) on the nutritive values and fermentation parameters of ensiled elderberry fodder in a completely randomized design. Harvesting fodder biomass for ensiling during the early, mid, or late season did not impact berry yield in the subsequent year (P > 0.05). Early-harvest and unwilted fodder exhibited the lowest dry matter (DM; P < 0.001) and the highest crude protein (CP; P < 0.024) in post-ensiled silage. Ensiling after later harvest dates significantly decreased total digestible nutrients (TDN) and increased acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and lignin (P < 0.01). Moisture by harvest date interactions were observed for calcium (Ca: P = 0.017), phosphorus (P: P = 0.005), magnesium (Mg: P < 0.01), potassium (K: P = 0.002), and sulfur (S: P = 0.03). Early harvested and unwilted fodder exhibited the greater forage mineral concentrations in post-ensiled silage compared with wilting levels and harvest dates. Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), ash, non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC), net energy for lactose (NEL), net energy for maintenance (NEM), and relative feed value (RFV) concentrations in post-ensiled silage from late harvest were lower than those from early harvest fodder (P < 0.05). Butyric acid concentrations were highest in post-ensiled silage from early harvest × unwilted conditions and lowest at both wilting levels in late harvest fodder (P < 0.001). Although an interaction was observed for pH, the specific pattern for harvest dates and moisture levels was not evident. Unwilted silage had greater concentrations of acetic acid (P = 0.007), ammonia (P = 0.02), and lactic acid (P = 0.048) compared to wilted. Acetic acid, ammonia, lactic acid, and formic acid were greater in early harvest ensiled fodder compared with late harvest ensiled fodder (P < 0.001). Post-ensiled succinic acid concentration was greatest from mid-harvest, followed by early and late harvest respectively (P < 0.001). The timing of forage harvest, whether early or late, following the berry harvest of North American elderberry, does not affect berry yield in the following year. However, the post-ensiled nutritive values, including greater CP and most mineral concentrations and lower fiber concentrations, were observed in early harvest elderberry fodder compared with late harvest.