Miron, J., Metabolic Unit, Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Ben-Ghedalia, D., Metabolic Unit, Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

Alfalfa was ensiled either by conventional wilting (WA) or as a mixture with 20% (DM) ozonated cotton stalks (A + OCS), and the digestibility of the silage carbohydrate constituents was examined in sheep. The WA silage had a lower content of glucose, xylose, and total carbohydrates and a slightly higher content of arabinose, galactose and mannose than the A + OCS silage. Stomachs and whole tract carbohydrate digestibility was 52% and 63%, respectively, in both silages. Digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) glucose and xylose was slightly higher and that of NDF-arabinose, galactose and mannose slightly lower, in the sheep fed A + OCS vs. those fed WA. Digestibility of total NDF monosaccharide components in WA and A + OCS silages were 55% and 57%, respectively, of which 90% were digested in the fore-stomachs. In both silages, NDF-glucose was more digestible than NDF-xylose and NDF-uronic acid, and less digestible than NDF-arabinose and NDF-mannose. Results of this study indicate that a direct-cut and ensiled alfalfa silage made with 20% (DM) OCS is comparable with WA in its potential to supply ruminants with digestible carbohydrates. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.