Use of cactus as feed

ABSTRACT USE OF CACTUS AS FEED Mustafa ÇÜREK M.S. in Animal Nutrition Adviser: Prof.Dr. Nihat ÖZEN April 2001, 39 pages Nutrients composition, digestibility, degradability, feed and feeding value of cactus were evaluated through chemical analysis fecal collection and nylon bag techniques. In the first trial conducted on three Chios rams, digestion coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber and nitrogen-free extracts of cactus and cactus silage were found to be 57.57, 79.20, 72.69, 79.13, 27.95, 85.14, %; 57.32, 69.40, 33.21, 90.10, 13.07, 78.47 %, while, crude protein, ether exctracts, crude fiber and nitrogen free extracts were 3.55, 1.61, 6.77, 63.33, % and 2.14, 1.78, 7.71, 52.35, % respectively. Depending upon the data above starch unit and total digestible nutrients (TDN) of same feeds were calculated on dry matter basis as 581 and 428 g/kg; 61.20 and 46.37 %, respectively. Average dry matter degradation data of young old cladodes and their mixed silage determined through nylon bag technique at 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72, 96 hours, following the rumen incubation on three cannulated Merino rams were 50.39, 56.36, 78.35, 77.78, 84.88, 84.97, 82.01 %; 43.58, 47.77, 50.26, 63.22, 66.23, 64.18, 63.13 %;38.63, 39.99, 45.97, 57.58, 64.35, 67.91, 71.77 %, respectively. Dry matter degradation of young cladodes were significantly higher than the old and the silage at 4, 8, 16, 24 and 72 hours at (P<01) level, and at 48 and 96 hours at (P<05) level. During a whole year each months old and young cladodes and their mixed silage were analysed and in order to determine the probable changings in their nutritient composition. Statistical analysis indicated significant differences nutritient composition in terms of both young-old cladodes and the months (P<01). Silages prepared with cladodes collected monthly analsyed for pH and organic acids following sensory tests. Overall results of this research indicated that cactus cladodes and their silage can be utilised efficiently as an alternative roughage in ruminant nutrition. KEY WORDS: Cactus, cactus silage, cladode, dry matter degradation, nylon bag technique. COMMITTEE: Prof.Dr. Nihat ÖZEN Prof.Dr. Yılmaz ŞAYAN Asst.Prof.Dr. M.Mustafa ERTÜRK