Developing of alfalfa drying unit supported with solar energy and effect of alfalfa on lambs

65 6. SUMMARY This experiment was conducted to determine the changes of physical and chemical compositions of alfalfa dried with two different methods in the drying unit supported with the solar energy and dried traditionally on field and the effects of those alfalfas on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and feedlot performance. For this purpose, 18 Akkaraman lambs were alloted to three groups. Treatment groups consisted of alfalfa dried different methods as follows: Alfalfa cut and dried in the drying unit at the harvested day ( K Group), alfalfa wilted for 24 h and dried in the drying unit ( P Group ) and alfalfa dried traditionally on field ( T Group). Developed drying unit was formed from two parts as collector and air box. The air heated in the collector was sent to the air box by a fan and alfalfa were dried quickly. Collector's heat benefit was higher in July and August had the highest temperature and in this period the highest termic productivity was determined. As having been regard to hours the highest heat benefit was determined between 12.00 - 13.00 h in which sun rays are most intensive and the enterance and exit heat of collector approached to one another after 18.30 h. The longest drying period was determined in T group and this group followed by K and P group. Drying time of alfalfa was shortened with wilting before putting in to drying unit. When comparsions between groups were made with respect to phsical of alfalfa, leaf loss was higher in T group than K and P group. Alfalfa in group T was more lightcolored, dirtier and lower quality than that of in group K and P. The nutritive value were 18.58, 18.36 and 13.05 % for crude protein, 2.86, 2.88 and 1.90 % for eter extract, 26.88, 26.20 and 31.02 % for crude fiber, 37.34, 37.48 and 46.76 % for NDF, 32.9, 33.04 and 38.80 % for ADF, 7.92, 7.94 and 9.64 for ADL, 24.98, 25.10 and 29.16 % for sellulose and 4.44, 4.24 and 8.16 % for hemisellülose in K, P and T groups, respectively.66 The digestibility of nutrients in groups were 62.11, 61.28 and 55.01 % for dry matter, 73.50, 72.50 and 71.08 % for crude protein, 35.38, 35.24 and 34.30 % for eter extract, 45.81, 45.62 and 42.80 % for crude fiber, 67.95, 67.80 and 65.71 % for nitrogen free extract, 45.53, 45.48 and 43.62 % for NDF, 45.08, 45.11 and 43.21 % for ADF, 28.64, 28.74 and 27.21 % for ADL, 53.82, 54.08 and 48.55 % for sellüloze and 52.52, 52.05 and 48:60 % for hemisellusose in K, P and T groups, respectively. The differences between groups were significant ( P<0.05). The energy levels of alfalfa in K and P group were similar but lower in T group than other groups. The feed consumption was highest in K group than P group and lowest in group T. The differences between groups were significant ( P<0.05). The average beta carotene levels in K, P and T group were 206.95, 122.18 and 38.93 mg/kg DM respectively and this results were found significant statistically ( PO.05). The pH value of ruminal fluid were not different between groups. The average ammonia values of ruminal fluid in K, P and T groups were found as 21.38, 20.0 and 18.04 mg/100 ml, respectively and the differences between groups were significant ( P<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid concantration of ruminal fluid were in groups K, P and T 100.22, 98.78 and 98.59 mmol/lt, respectively (PO.05). In all groups at 2 h after feeding an increase was determined in total volatile fatty acid concantrations (P<0.05). The rates of asetic acid in the total volatile fatty acid were 75.07, 75.71 and 77.40 %, propionic acid 16.74, 16.31 and 15.03 % and butyric acid 8.19, 7.98 and 7.57 % in K, P and T groups, respectively (PO.05). At the end of the research, average of daily dry matter intake of the lambs in K, P and T groups were 706.43, 693.11 and 544.89 gr respectively (PO.05). In the 0-85* days of research daily weight gain of lambs was in K, P and T groups 147.92, 139.87 and 98.21 gr, respectively (PO.05). The feed efficiency in the K, P and T groups were 5.58, 5.73 and 5.93, respectively ( PO.05).