The Possibilities of Using Sugar Beet Pulp Silage Produced by Different Methods in Lamb and Dairy Cow Rations - 3 - Digestibility and Lamb Fattening Trials

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate ensiling methods for more efficient and long lasting preservation of sugar beet pulp which is an energy rich cheap feedstuff For this reason during ensiling the dry matter of sugar beet pulp was increased to 20% by adding wheat straw or grass hay On the other hand 1 % urea + 5% beet molasses (SBPSM) and 0% urea + 5% beet molasses (SBPHM) were added to these silages containing wheat straw or grass hay respectively Two kinds of beet pulp silages corn silage and grass hay were utilized in lambs in this experiment In the digestion trial organic matter digestibilities were 60 39 58 99 55 80 and 60 03% (P<0 05) for corn silage SBPSM silage SBPHM silage and grass hay respectively Crude cellulose digestibilities were similar however crude protein digestibilitiy was greater in the group fed SBPSM silage than in the other groups (P<0 05) Crude protein digestibilities were 65 98 86 26 70 27 and 70 66 for corn silage SBPSM silage SBPHM silage and grass hay respectively In the fattening trial the silages and grass hay were fed ad libitum while the concentrates were limited to 30% of the requirement The trial lasted 60 days Total live weight gains were found to be 4 62 2 85 3 45 and 5 93 kg and daily weight gains were found to be 77 48 58 and 99 g in the corn silage SBPSM silage SBPHM silage and grass hay groups (P>0 05) respectively In conclusion when the dry matter concentration of sugar beet pulp was increased to 20% and supplemented with molasses a good quality silage can be obtained The digestibility rates of these silages may equal the nutritive value of corn silage but the value of both corn silage and the silages of sugar beet pulp in lamb fattening is questionable.