Nutritional evaluation of safflower silage and biomass, seed and oil production

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of safflower biomass (Carthamus tinctorium L.) ensiled in three treatments. An apparent nutrient digestibility assay was conducted using sheep and the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of dry matter (DM) were determined in the biomass and silages obtained. The production of DM, seeds and crude oil per hectare safflower crop was also quantified and was 12.4±4.9, 2.9±1.5 and 0.7 ±0.2 t/ha, respectively. The following ensiling treatments were applied: FS = freshly ensiled safflower; WS = wilted safflower (sun exposure for 2 hours); SCP = safflower + 5% citrus pulp. The chemical composition of the FS, WS and SCP silages, respectively, was 10.8, 11.15 and 10.07% crude protein, 55.22, 55.4 and 52.2% neutral detergent fiber, and 55.6, 53.45 and 57.87% in vitro DM digestibility. A randomized complete block design with animal weight as blocks was used. The apparent DM digestibility of the silages was 55.96, 55.54 and 57.94% and total digestible nutrients were 57.62, 57.49 and 57.87% for FS, WS and SCP, respectively. The results indicate the use of safflower conserved as silage in ruminant diets as an alternative to roughage. However, the biomass ensiling treatments showed no differences in terms of physicochemical parameters, intake or nutrient digestibility of the silages that would justify their application.

Keywords

• Carthamus tinctorium L.
• conservação de forragem
• digestibilidade aparente
• ovinos.