Livestock Studies 1999, Vol 39, Num, 2     (Pages: 017-024)

Ruminal Degradation Characteristics of Sugar Beet Seed and Seed Screenings

Sakine YALÇIN 1 ,Adnan ŞEHU 1 ,Nurcan ÇETİNKAYA 2

1 A.Ü.Veteriner Fakültesi Hayvan Besleme ve Beslenme Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı- Ankara
2 Lalahan Hayvan Sağlığı Nükleer Araştırma Enstitüsü, Lalahan-Ankara
- This investigation was carried out to determine the ruminal degradability characteristics of sugar beet seed and seed screenings by in situ nylon bag technique.

Three ruminally cannulated Angora bucks weighing about 40 kg were used in this study. They were fed ad libitum with a good quality chopped grass hay. Samples of sugar beet seed and seed screenings were incubated in the rumen for 4,8,16,24,48 and 72 h. The rumen degradability data of feedstuffs for dry matter, organic matter and crude protein were calculated by using the equation of p = a + b (1 - e-ct).

The rumen dry matter maximum potential degradation values (a + b) of sugar beet seed, seed screenings I and seed screenings II were 40.61, 28.78 and 42.80 %, respectively. The value of crude protein degradation constant in rumen for samples were found to be 0.0207, 0.0464 and 0.0530 /h, respectively.

The rumen degradability values obtained in this experiment can be used to prepare economic rations for ruminants. Keywords : Sugar Beet Seed, Seed Screenings, In Situ Degradability, Angora Buck