The effect of additives on palatability, voluntary intake and digestibility of lucerne and whole-crop oat silages

Abstract

Second-cut lucerne media (Medicago media Pers van Radius) harvested at the budding stage was ensiled with whole-crop oats (var. Santor), cut at milk stage, at a 75:25 or 50:50 (wt/wt) ratio. Additionally, each combination was conserved with or without an enzyme-bacterial additive (Goldzym). The experimental silages were: lucerne, 75 + whole-crop oats, 25; lucerne, 50 + whole-crop oats, 50; lucerne, 75 + whole-crop oats, 25 + Goldzym; lucerne, 50 + whole-crop oats, 50 + Goldzym. The experiment was conducted on 7-month old male lambs of the Polish Long-haired breed. Neither the content of whole-crop oats in the silage nor the addition of Goldzym had any effect on the chemical composition of silages. However, both factors had a positive effect on fermentation in the silo and silage quality. Voluntary and free-access dry matter intakes were influenced mainly by the lucerne to whole-crop oats ratio. Inclusion of 50% of whole-crop oats increased voluntary dry matter intake as well as digestibility and N-balance.