Use of alfalfa silage in feeding ruminants and important points in alfalfa ensiling

Document Type : Scientific-Extensional Article

Authors

M.Sc. Student of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Tehran, Karaj, Alborz, Iran

Abstract

Feed is the most important cost of animal husbandry, which often accounts for 60-70% of production costs. Medicago sativa alfalfa is known as the queen of fodder plants, which has a higher nutritional value than other forages. Due to its nutritional properties, alfalfa is always included in the diet of dairy cows. For a long time in Iran, in order to increase the storage time of alfalfa in animal husbandry, alfalfa is dried in the field by the sun. Drying under the sun alone reduces the nutritional value of alfalfa and increases the wastage of its dry matter by 30%. Another method of keeping hay, which is rarely done in Iran, is making hay; in this method, hay wastage is greatly reduced. However, alfalfa silage has preparation and nutritional challenges, including the need for high capacity, for which solutions such as feeding in a two-to-one ratio with corn silage, feeding with molasses or fast-fermenting energy sources in the rumen, and enriching alfalfa silage can be used. Did it with supplements. In this article, an attempt has been made to familiarize readers and enthusiasts with some of the importance and challenges of feeding alfalfa silage in ruminants and provide them with information and solutions in this field.

Keywords

References

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