Effects of feeding Jerusalem artichoke fodder silage on feed intake, digestibility and microbial protein synthesis in sheep

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary substitution of different levels of Maize silage (MS) with Jerusalem artichoke aerials part silage (JAAPS) on feed intake, digestibility and microbial protein syntheses in twenty Chall male sheep (live body weight of 65.3±2.3 kg). Four iso-energetics and iso-nitrogenus diets (forage-to-concentrate ratios; 64:36) were formulated in which MS was replaced by different levels (0, 180, 360, or 540 g/kg dietary DM) of JAAPS. The diets were fed to four experimental animals groups in a completely randomized design for a 31-days period. Dry matter intake and dry matter digestibility were 2139 and 699 in control diet and 2095 g/day and 697 g/kg DM in diet contains 540 g/kg DM JAAPS respectively. The replacement of MS by JAAPS did not affect dry matter intake and nutrients intake. Digestibility of dietary nutrients was not affected by experimental diets. By replacing the JAAPS instead of MS, there was no significant statistical change in the microbial protein synthesis. It is concluded that the partial substitution of MS for JAAPS, up to 540 g/kg DM, in diet of sheep has no adverse effect on feed intake and diet digestibility. So the Jerusalem artichoke aerial parts could be used as a silage in sheep diets.