Nutritive Value of Sunflower Silages Ensiled with Corn or Alfalfa at Different Rate

Abstract

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) having shorter growing season, better cold tolerant and more drought resistant is important alternative silage plant in highlands. But it has poor silage quality. To improve the quality of sunflower silage can be mixed an appropriate amount of corn (Zea mays L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). This research was carried out to evaluate quality characteristics of nine silage types: Sunflower, corn and alfalfa silages; plus their some mixtures silages (75% sunflower + 25% corn, 50% sunflower + 50% corn, 25% sunflower + 75% corn, 75% sunflower + 25% alfalfa, 50% sunflower + 50% alfalfa and 25% sunflower + 75% alfalfa); at two harvest stages: Beginning of flowering for sunflower and alfalfa and milk-dough stage for corn (early stage), and end of flowering stage for sunflower and alfalfa, and dough stage for corn (late stage). The experimental design was in a factorial arrangement of randomized complete block with replicated four times. Dry matter content (DM), crude protein content (CP), neutral detergent fiber content (NDF), acid detergent fiber content (ADF), silage pH and physical characteristics (PC) of silages were determined in this study. Mixing of alfalfa in NDF, ADF and CP and corn in DM, pH and PC had positively effect in sunflower silages. Late stage had positively affected DM, PC and pH for silage. Consequently, sunflower silages mixed with corn, with the condition of not being less than 50% at late stage, are recommended for farmers.