A Comparison Between Fresh Ryegrass and Ryegrass Silage With Respect to Their Nutritive Value for Sheep

Abstract

he objective of this study was to compare between fresh ryegrass and ryegrass silage in the ability of sheep to consume the material, retained its nitrogen in their body with a special reference of some inorganic elements. A digestibility and nitrogen and minerals balance trials were conducted to compare between fresh ryegrass and ryegrass silage. Twelve mature cross breed rams aged 4 years old and weighted around 42 kg in average were assigned randomly into two experimental groups, 6 animals each and fed the fresh ryegrass (grass group) and its ryegrass silage (silage group) as a sole source of feedstuffs in the rations. Results indicated that dry matter (DM) intake and digestion were reduced by feeding silage (P<0.05), whereas dry matter digestibility in the fresh ryegrass group was equivalent to that in the ryegrass silage (P>0.05). Lead intake and retention was higher in fresh grass group than silage group (P<0.05). Values of nitrogen intake and retention were insignificant (P>0.05) higher in grass group than silage group. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between grass group and silage group for sodium, magnesium, manganese, iron, cobalt, cupper. Whereas, values of potassium, calcium and zinc (intake and retention) were (P<0.05) higher in grass group than silage group. It could be concluded that fresh ryegrass was the better when compared with ryegrass silage but preserving ryegrass as silage to be used in the rations of ruminant is favorite during fodder scarcity season.