Effect of Different Companion Crops on Alfalfa Silage Quality

Abstract

Objective of this study was to determine silage quality of Hungarian vetch HIV (Vicia pannonica Crantz), Turnip T (Brassica rapa L.) and Oat O (Avena sativa L.) added to Alfalfa A (Medicago sativa L.) with different proportions (100:0, 75:25. 50:50 ve 2.5:75%). Harvest was done at milk dought stage for sole oat, flowering stage for sole turnip, exact shape formation period of seeds in the bottom pods for sole Hungarian vetch, 10% flowering stage for sole alfalfa. Besides, the harvest of mixtures was done based on alfalfa. Then. plants were ensiled in 2 kg plastic jars and fermentation at 25 +/- 2 degrees C over 45 days. The silage samples were opened at the end of the fermentation period and dry matter ratio (DM), pH, crude protein ratio (CP), lactic acid (LA). acetic acid (AA), butyric acid (BA), potassium (K). phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) were determined. According to the Flieg score, 75A+25O% (97.80). 25A+75T% (97.20), 50A+50O% (96.80), 25A+75O% (91.93) and sole oat (91.33) silages have the highest value and. they were in good quality class of silage. The highest. LA was determined in 75A+25O% (6.570%), while the lowest was 75A+25HV% (0.780%). The AA acid ranged bet ween 0.033-0.283%, and the BA w as not found. As a result, when the Flieg score and crude protein ratios was evaluated together, it. was concluded that suitable silage quality determined relatively high of alfalfa with all turnip mixture and with oat at. 75+25% mixture.