Chemical, Nutritive, Fermentative Profile and in-vitro Gas Production of Citrus Pulp Silages Alone and Combined with Maize Silag

Quality attributes of citrus pulp silages that were ensiled alone and combined with maize silage were determined. Fresh samples of lemon, orange and tangerine pulps, maize plants and their combinations were fermented in glass jars for 90 days at about 20 - 25 °C. Treatments included i) 100% maize silage as control (MS); ii) 100% lemon pulp silage (LPS); iii) 100% orange pulp silage (OPS); iv) 100% tangerine pulp silage (TPS); v) 50% LPS and 50% maize silage (LPS + MS); vi) 50% OPS and 50% MS; and vii) 50% TPS and 50% maize silage (TPS + MS). The pH differed among treatment groups. The highest and lowest pH values were recorded for MS group and the OPS + MS group, respectively (3.84 vs. 3.51). The highest dry matter (DM), crude fibre (CF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and hemicellulose (HEM) were observed for MS (P 0.05). Thus, citrus pulps can be ensiled in spite of their moisture content. However, to increased DM and nutrient content, the citrus pulps should be ensiled with 50% maize. Keywords: fermentation metabolites, methane production, organic matter digestibility