干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Three grasses (ryegrass, miller and sorghum) were separately ensiled with molasses. Twenty-one male lambs were divided equally into three groups and fed the silages as sole diets in a complete randomized block design to evaluate the feeding value and utilization of silages. The experiment consisted of a 60-day(d) feeding trial followed by a 15-d metabolism and nitrogen balance trial. Physical and fermentation characteristics of silages revealed that they were processed well. Ryegrass silage had the highest CP and the lowest ash contents whereas NDF contents were almost similar for the three grasses. Lambs fed ryegrass silage having had the highest (P<0.05) voluntary intakes of DM, CP, showed the highest ADG (75 g/d) and had the greatest digestion coefficients of DM, CP and NDE The TDN and DCP intake values were significantly variable but higher for ryegrass group. Ryegrass fed lambs retained more N than other groups. Such grasses could be excellent feeds during drought season in desert areas when preserved well as silages.