Effects of fermentation characteristics and feed value of some triticale cultivars ensiled at different stages of maturity

This study was carried out to determine the effects of some triticale cultivars (Karma 2000, Presto and Tatl？cak-97) harvested at different stages of maturity on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility organic matter yields. Triticale cultivars were harvested at ear emergence, milk and dough stages of maturity and were ensiled in 1.0 litter special jars equipped with a lid that enabled gas release only. The jars were stored at 20±2 oC under laboratory conditions. Silages were sampled for chemical and microbiological analyses on day 75th after ensiling. In additions in vitro organic matters digestibility of the silages were determined with enzymatic methods. The result of the study indicated that fermentation characteristics, nutritional and cell wall composition, dry and organic matter yield and digestibility organic matters were affected by harvest stage and cultivars. Crude protein, crude ash, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin contents decreased with increasing maturity of triticale silage whereas dry mater yield, pH value and in vitro organic matter digestibility increased (P<0.05)