Effect of Wheat Straw and Molasses Supplementation on Quality, Lamb Performance, and Digestibility of Forage Turnip (Brassica rapa) Silage

This study was conducted to determine effects of wheat straw (WS) and molasses (M) supplementation on the quality of forage turnip (Brassica rapa) silage, and its feeding effects on lamb performance and nutrient digestibility. In experiment I, forage turnip was ensilaged with the addition of WS (0%, 7%, 10%, and 15%) and M (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%). Supplementation with M improved the silage quality, fermentation parame-ters, in vitro organic matter digestibility, and metabolizable energy values of the forage turnip silages (P<0.01). In experiment II, there were no significant differences among the treatment groups in terms of final body weight. Total weight gain or daily weight gain from the lamb fed with maize silage (MS) was found to be higher than in the forage turnip + 3% M (FTM) group and forage turnip + 7% WS + 2% M (FTSM) groups (P<0.05). Silage intake of the dry matter MS was higher than in the FTM and FTSM silage groups (P<0.05). Dry and organic matter digestibility of the MS were higher than those of the FTM and FTSM silages, while the crude protein digestibility of the MS was lower than those of the FTM and FTSM silages (P<0.05). The crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) di-gestibility of the FTSM silage was higher than those of the MS and FTM silages (P<005). As a result, for-age turnip (Brassica rapa) can be ensiled by adding 7% or 10% WS and 1%, 2%, or 3% M, and it can be a source of an alternative forage for ruminants.