Nutritive value of corn and sunflower mixture silages and using possibilities in lamb fattening

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of rations prepared with corn silage and sunflower silages and their mixtures in different ratios on the fattening performance and carcass characteristics of lambs. In the experiment, 40 Kıvırcık male lambs at the age of 10-12 weeks and with an average live weight of 20-25 kg were used. The lambs were divided into 5 groups and the animals were treated with 5 different silages [100% sunflower silage, 100% corn silage, 75% sunflower sialge + 25% corn silage, 50% sunflower silage + 50% corn silage, 25% sunflower silage+ 75% corn silage] during the experiment. During the fattening period, performance criteria such as live weight, live weight gain, silage and concentrate feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were determined. In addition, nutrient analysis of concentrate feed and silage to be used in fattening, rumen fluid was taken twice as the beginning and end of fattening, and some rumen parameters were determined. At the end of the fattening period (0-8 weeks), the differences between the live weights and live weight gains of the lambs fed with different silages were not significant. Similarly, the differences between the average daily silage feed consumption of the groups in the 0-8 week period were not significant. In the mentioned period, significant (P≤0.05) differences were observed in the silage+concentrate feed consumption of the groups. The highest silage+concentrate feed consumption (128.2 kg) was observed in the group fed with 100% sunflower silage, while the lowest values were found in the groups fed with 100% corn silage (99.4 kg) and 75% corn silage + 25% sunflower silage (101.6 kg). During the fattening period, the added daily average concentrate feed consumption of the groups did not show significant differences. In terms of feed efficiency, the worst group was the group fed with 100% sunflower silage (10.2), while the best groups were 100% corn silage (7.6) and 75% corn silage + 25% sunflower silage (7.8) fed groups. The differences between the averages obtained in terms of feed conversion ratios were found to be significant (P≤0.01). In terms of carcass characteristics, no significant differences were observed between slaughter weights, hot-cold carcass weights, hot-cold carcass percentages, carcass loss, MLD cross-sectional area, tallow ratio and ridge shell fat values of lambs fed with different silage types. As a result, it was concluded that the substitution of sunflower silage up to 100% to corn silage in lamb fattening did not have any negative effect on the fattening performance and carcass characteristics.