Nutritive value of Damascus rose extraction residue ensiled with different effluent absorbents.

Two experiments were conducted to study the silage characteristics and nutritive value of Damascus rose extraction residue (RER) which is a by-product remained after the extraction of rose water in some parts of Iran. In the first experiment, RER was ensiled together with different amounts of effluent absorbents, using a completely randomised design with 10 treatments and 4 replicates. In the second experiment, RER was ensiled together with dry sugar beet pulp, wheat straw, and limestone. The contents of OM, CP, CF, EE, and NFE were 94.4%, 11%, 24%, 24%, and 57.3%, respectively, in the initial samples of RER. The DM content of silages varied from 26.7% to 36.6%, pH-values ranged from 4.08 to 4.36, which denotes a significant difference (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the DM and CP of silage were 25% and 9.7%, respectively, and the pH value was 4.6. The in vivo digestibility of DM and OM were 54.2% and 57.6%, respectively, and voluntary intake for DM and OM was 41.7 and 36.6 g/kgBW 0.75 , respectively, in sheep. Total digestible nutrients were 52.1% and metabolisable energy was 7.87 MJ/kgDM. A linear relationship was observed between OM digestibility and TDN with in vitro gas production.