Aquatic Plants from Minnesota Part 5 - Digestibility and Fermentation of Aquatic Plants

Abstract

The research was conducted to characterize the fermentation of aquatic plants ensiled with and without additives and to determine the digestibility of dried and ensiled aquatic plants by lambs. Aquatic plants ensiled with the addition of organic acids, corn or haylage produced silages of undesirable quality. Additions of haylage to sterilized aquatic plants before ensiling resulted in a silage of more desirable quality. Dry matter and crude protein digestibilities for sheep fed diets that contained either Myriophyllum exalbescens or Potamogeton pectinatus were lower than for lambs fed dehydrated alfalfa. However, energy digestibility was highest for lambs fed Myriophyllum exalbescens. Mydiophyllum exalbescens appeared to be more palatable than Potamogeton pectinatus, but both were inferior to dehydrated alfalfa. Dry matter intakes of lambs fed ensiled aquatic plants, aquatic plants plus corn or aquatic plants plus haylage were lower than lambs fed either haylage or haylage plus corn diets. Additions of corn and haylage significantly increased aquatic plant organic matter digestibility. Energy and nitrogen digestibilities were lower for lambs fed diets that contained aquatic plants than for lambs fed haylage diets. The palatability of aquatic plants is a limiting factor in their use as a forage. Drying or ensiling do not appear to be satisfactory procedures for improving palatability.