The Effects of Wet Brewers Grain-Whole Plant Sunflower Mixture Silages on Fermentation Characteristics and Nutrient Digestibility in Lambs

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine some quality characteristics and nutrient digestibility of wet brewers grain with whole plant sunflower mixture silages. Treatments were wet brewers grain, whole plant sunflower, %50 wet brewers grain + %50 whole plant sunflower (mixture 1) and %25 wet brewers grain + %75 whole plant sunflower (mixture 2). Relating to silage fermentation analysis of pH, ammonia nitrogen, water soluble carbohydrate, organic acids (lactic, acetic and butyric acid) and microbiological analyses were carried out. Digestion rate of crude nutritive matters of silages determined with classical digestive experiments. Dry matter, crude protein, NH3-N, lactic acid content and pH value of the silages were found respectively as %23.67, 25.63, 24.84, 24.80; %19.16, 7.23, 9.98, 13.01; 72.37, 75.34, 62.61, 72.79 g/kg TN; %0.76, 2.08, 1.68, 1.33; 3.97, 4.21, 4.17, 4.12 for the group of wet brewers grain, whole plant sunflower, mixture 1 and mixture 2, (P<0.01). Dry matter, crude protein, crude cellulose digestibility were determinate to be 66.26, 59.03, 60.11, 62.71%; 72.46, 49.64, 73.69, 77.49%; 52.85, 30.75, 45.22, 51.62%, respectively (P< 0.01).