Nutritional evaluation of sunflower stalks silage in ruminants [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This work aimed to evaluate effects of feeding the silage of sunflower stalks- local line i 02 - (SSS) on nutrients digestibility, DM intake, milk yield and composition and economic impact. Two trials were conducted to achieve this aim. The first one was a digestibility trial on adult rams (65 kg in average) to determine digestion coefficients and nutritive values of three types of silage made from sunflower stalks with adding 0.5% urea and 5% molasses at ensiling: . Ensiled alone (SSS) . Mixed with corn stalks at ensiling (SS - CS) silage. . or ensiling corn stalks alone (CSS). The second one was a feeding trial plus digestibility trial carried out to investigate the effects of incorporating different types of silage in lactating buffaloes' rations (570 kg in average) on their productive performance using "Swing over" method. The rations were formulated as follows: . Control rations (CR): 50% of TDN and CP total requirements from concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + CSS ad -lib. . First tested ration (TR1): 50% of TDN and CP total requirements from CFM + (SS . CS)silage ad -lib. . Second tested ration (TR2): 50% of TDN and CP total requirements from CFM SSS ad -lib. The results of the digestibility trial revealed that, SSS had higher DM. CP, CF, EE and ash contents and lower OM and NFE contents than CSS. Daily DM intake of SSS by sheep was significantly (p<0.05) higher than other tested silages. Dry matter, OM and .NFE digestion coefficients and TDN o/SSS were significantly (P<0.05) lower than CSS. while CP digestibility, EE digestibility and DCP were significantly (P<O.05) higher. In the feeding trial, buffaloes consumed similar amount of DM from the three rations. No significant differences were recorded in digestibility coefficients of DM. CF and EE among different experimental rations. The digestibility coefficient of CP of TRI and TR2 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than CR. A significant (P<O.05) lower TDN value was recorded for TR2 compared to CR and TR1, while DCP was significantly (p<0.05) higher.Milk yield, fat corrected milk (FCM) and fat yield of animals fed TR2 recorded significant (P<0.05) decreases compared to those fed CR and TRI without significance between CR and TR1. There were no significant differences among rations regarding milk composition.

Summary in Arabic.

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