Inclusion of alfalfa improves nutritive value and in vitro digestibility of various straw–grass mixed silages in Tibet

Abstract To enlarge the feed resources and enhance the utilization efficiency of straws as ruminant feed in Tibet, four kinds of local crop straws with tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) based on the ratio of 40/60 (fresh weight) were ensiled with four levels (0, 10%, 20% and 30% of fresh weight) of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), respectively. The laboratory silos (1L) were opened after 45 days of ensiling, and the fermentation characteristics, nutritive value and in vitro digestibility of the mixed silages were analysed. The silages including alfalfa had significantly ( p < 0.05) or numerically ( p > 0.05) higher lactic acid and crude protein contents, lactic acid bacteria counts, in vitro digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fibre ( NDF ) and acid detergent fibre ( ADF ), and lower NDF and ADF contents than controls. The results suggest that inclusion of alfalfa to mixtures of straws and tall fescue had favourable effects on fermentation quality and obviously improved the nutritive value and in vitro digestibility of mixed silages. This effect was most evident when the inclusion proportion of alfalfa was 30% in oat straw mixed silage.