Fermentation quality, nutritive value and nutrient intake by sheep of substandard carrot silage supplemented with wheat bran

Abstract

Carrot silage prepared from substandard carrots (carrot) and supplement wheat bran was evaluated in fermentation quality, and mixed with a basal feed consisting of grass silage and beet pulp. The quality of the mixed diet was evaluated in terms of feed intake, digestibility, nutritive value, and nutrient intake by four sheep to examine the application of substandard carrot silage (carrot silage) as a substitute for corn and wheat bran. On a dry matter (DM) basis, mixed diet intake ratio was 11.7% corn and 11.4% wheat bran (control diet), and 24.0% carrot silage (7.6% carrot and 16.4% wheat bran) (experimental diet). Carrot and carrot silage had a DM content of 10.2 and 28.2%, respectively. The carrot silage demonstrated a high fermentation quality. Carrots contained crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and starch at concentrations of 6.5, 41.1, and 15.3%DM, respectively, while the carrot silage without wheat bran had a WSC content of 6.8%DM. There were no significant differences between the control and experimental diets regarding the digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract, acid detergent fiber, or neutral detergent fiber. Neither the total digestible nutrients content nor intake was significantly different between the control and experimental diets. These results suggest that on a DM basis, 24% carrot silage can be used as substitute 11.7% corn and 11.4% wheat bran.