Abstract

CARVAJAL SALCEDO, Teresa  and  CUESTA PERALTA, Aurora. Conservation and nutritional composition of the elder (Sambucus nigra) foliage. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2016, vol.39, n.2, pp.125-132. ISSN 0864-0394.

The foliage of the tree species Sambucus nigra (elder) was evaluated as silage, hay or meal, in order to determine the most adequate method to preserve the plant species and use it in feeding programs to attenuate the negative effects of forage seasonality. The analyzed indicators were: silage efficiency, chemical composition and in sacco ruminal degradation of the dry matter (DM). At 30 days of fermentation, the silage showed 28,42 % DM, pH 4,28 and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) with regards to the total nitrogen (TN) of 13,60 %. Significant difference (p < 0,05) was found in the DM content of the silage (28,42 %), with regards to the hay (90,49 %) and the meal (90,77 %). The total protein content (TP) did not differ significantly among the three methods; however, the silage showed a higher content of the soluble protein fraction (49,80 %), compared with hay (27,30 %) and meal (30,00 %). In addition, the silage showed a higher content of non-structural carbohydrates (36,48 %) and a low lignin percentage (1,74 %), which differed significantly from the ones found in the hay and meal. The three methods showed significant differences (p < 0,05) in the DM degradability rate: 62 % degradability at 6 h, 77 % at 24 h and 80 % at 48 h, as average. It is concluded that the elder foliage preserved as silage, hay or meal was not nutritionally affected; likewise, silage was the most appropriate method, for preserving the nutritional quality

Keywords : Silage; meal; hay; nutritional value.

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