The forage quality and the in vitro ruminal digestibility, gas production, organic acids, and some estimated digestion parameters of tomato herbage silage with molasses and barley

Abstract

In this study, nutrient composition and use of silage after harvest of waste green parts (herbage) of tomato (Licopersiconesculentum L.) were researched as a wet forage source for ruminants. Three different silages of tomato herbage: without additive (TS),with 5% sugar beet molasses (TSm), or 5% crushed barley grain (TSb) were prepared. The forage quality and the in vitro ruminaldigestibility, gas production, organic acids, and some estimated digestion parameters for different silages of tomato herbage weredetermined. Besides, the in vitro digestion values of using at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% rates instead of corn silage in the dairy cattletotal mix ration (TMR) were researched. The lactic acid content of TSb silage was higher than those of the TS and TSm silages (P 0.05). Consequently, results have shown that tomato herbage should be ensiled with 5% molasses. However, ithas been concluded that using tomato herbage silage with barley up to 75% or sugar beet molasses up to 100% instead of corn silage indairy cattle ration did not have a negative effect in vitro.