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Fish Silage for Improving the Nutritional Value of Wheat Straw¹

Washington State University, Pullman 99164

Abstract

Fish silage was evaluated as a protein supplement for wheat straw using chemical analysis and sheep metabolism studies. Diets ensiled and fed in Exp. 1 were: straw + fish silage + limestone + barley; straw + fish silage + barley; straw + NH₄OH + formic acid + barley; straw + NH₄OH + barley. Fish silage and NH₄OH were added to straw to raise crude protein of all diets to 12%. Limestone and formic acid were used as buffers. Dry matter and acid detergent fiber digestibility for fish-straw silages were higher (P<.01) than the NH₄OH silages. Nitrogen disappearance was higher (P<.01) for the fish-straw than the NH₄OH diets (73.4 vs 61.5%, respectively). Nitrogen utilization and retention were higher (P<.01) for fish-straw silages compared with the NH₄OH diets. In Exp. 2, barley was not added before ensiling but was fed as 20% of each diet, making them equivalent to Exp. 1 diets. Dry matter digesbitility was higher (P<.01) for fish-wheat straw silage diets than for NH₄OH-wheat straw diets. Nitrogen disappearance was higher (P<.01) for the fish-straw diets compared with the NH₄OH diets (73.8 vs 65.8%, respectively). In Exp. 3, diets were: CaCO₃ fish-straw silage; NaHCO₃ fish-straw silage; NH₄OH fish-straw silage; NH₄OH straw. Dry matter intake and N retention were higher with the NH₄OH straw diet. Calcium carbonate addition resulted in lower lactic acid production but numerically higher dry matter intake, N retention and N utilization than the other buffered fish-straw silages. Fish silage and wheat straw, mixed and ensiled together, fermented well as indicated by lactic acid production, and the fish silage resulted in similar N retention compared with NH₄OH.

¹ Scientific paper No. 6705. College of Agriculture and Home Economics Research Center, Washington State Univ. Research conducted under project 4414.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.

³ The authors wish to acknowledge the statistical assistance of Dr. Charles T. Gaskins and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce and National Marine Fisheries Service for financial assistance.