Comparison of silage quality of ten selected barley lines.

This experiment carried out to determine the suitabe of genotypes for barley silage production in a randomized complete block design with 10 barley genotypes and 3 replications and 2 storage period for the barley silage In the study chemical composition, digestibility and silage characteristics of barley genonotyes evaluated. First, whole fresh forage of the 10 barley genotypes cut manually at soft dough stage and chopped into 1 -2 cm. Three samples (replications) out of 10 genotype prepared for determination of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash, ether extract (EE), starch, water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), pH, buffer capacity, in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD) , organic matter digestibility (OMD), NDF digestibility (NDFD) and starch digestibility (SD), as well. Then, from fresh forage of each barley genotype 6 samples of silage prepared into 10 lit. jars. After 3 and 6 months of silage storage , 3 samples (replications) prepared for determination of all lab parameters for fresh forage of barley plus ethanol, N-NH3, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid and silage effluent. Results showed that all the barley fodder genotyes had significant differences (P 0.05) in all determined parameters except for EE and ash content. From forage to 3 months old silage status, values of pH, NDF, WSC and starch reduced, while DMD, OMD, NDFD, and SD improved significantly (P 0.05). All the nutritive characteristics in 3 month silage showed significant differences (P 0.05) except for ash, EE, ethanol, WSC, lactic acid, acetic acid, N-NH3 and effluent However, in 6 month old silage all nutritive characteristics showed significant differences (P 0.05) except for ash, EE, CP, ethanol, WSC, lactic acid, acetic acid, N-NH3, effluent and SD. Comparing the two silages for two periods of storage, values of pH, WSC, effluent, N-NH3, acetic acid, DMD, OMD, NDFD and SD increased or improved, while values of NDF, EE and lactic acid decreased with storage time (P 0.05). It cab be concluded that based on the data of DM yield / ha. , quality of barely fresh forage and the silage digestibility parameters, barley gentypes No. 2 (Ashar/L.527//Opal), No. 4 and 5 (TROMPILO/4/Rhodes`S`//Tb/Chzo/3/Gloria) were preferential among , which are recommended for further research at farm level. Keywords: Barley, forage, silage , chemical composition, digestibility, lactic acid, acetic acid, effluent