USE OF CHEMICALLY TREATED COTTON GIN TRASH AS A SILAGE ADDITIVE - A GROWTH STUDY WITH LAMBS

Alfalfa (A) was ensiled either wilted (35% dry matter (DM)) (WA) or as a mixture of 55% fresh alfalfa + 45% conoxyl-treated cotton gin trash (A + CT-CGT) (DM basis), and the effects of feeding these silages to growing lambs were examined. Lactic acid concentration was higher in A + CT-CGT than in WA silage, but levels of TCA-N (g per 100 g N) were similar, pointing to equal ability of the two silages to preserve prot ein. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) glucose level was unchanged, while neutral detergent soluble (NDS) glucose was extensively fermented in t he WA silage. Conversely, in the A + CT-CGT silage there was a drop in NDF glucose and a slight increase in NDS glucose concentration. NDF a nd NDS arabinose and galactose in both silages were slightly reduced d uring ensilage. Source materials and corresponding silages had similar in vitro digestibility values, but in vitro digestibility of monosacc harides in WA was 10% higher than that of the A + CT-CGT silage. Twent y lambs of the Assaf breed (average body weight (BW) 29 kg) were divid ed into two equal groups and fed rations composed of 50% concentrate, 25% poultry litter and 25% of either WA silage or A + CT-CGT silage. T he diets were fed ad libitum for 64-67 days until the lambs reached 47 -48 kg BW. Voluntary feed intake was 5% higher in the A + CT-CGT group than in the WA group. The average daily gains (ADG) were 284 g and 28 8 g in the WA and A + CT-CGT groups, respectively, which are considere d as the low range of intensive growth. Slaughter data of the two diet ary groups were comparable. Therefore CT-CGT can be used successfully as a silage additive for direct ensilage of fresh alfalfa. Intensive g rowth of lambs can be attained on a ration consisting of agricultural wastes including poultry litter, and CT-CGT used as a silage additive.