Feed Quality of Sweet Sorghum Grains

Abstract

Sweet sorghum crop produces grains at its ear-head which can be utilised as food and feed, produces stalks for the production of syrup, bio-ethanol, bio-diesel, bagasse and green foliage for use as organic fertiliser and excellent animal fodder. Approximately 4000 sweet sorghum cultivars are spread over the globe, providing a broad and varied genetic foundation for the development of highly productive, region-specific cultivars. A study was conducted to assess the grains of selected 10 different sweet sorghum varieties for the feed quality characters. For this aim, ADF, NDF, ADL, DMD, DMI, TDN, RFV, DE and ME values of sweet sorghum grains were determined. As a result of the study, crude ash, CP, ADF, NDF, ADL, DMD, DMI, RFV, TDN, DE and ME values were determined as 0.19-3.74%; 9.03-11.05%; 10.0-24.6%; 24.3-38.0%; 1.07-9.13%; 69.69-81.09%; 3.16-4.94%; 170.5-309.5%; 63.85-74.84%; 3.25-3.74 MJ/kg and 9.85-11.78 Mcal/kg, respectively. Variety "Smith" stands out with its ADF, NDF and ADL characteristics. Gülşeker, USDA-Taiwan and Erdurmuş varieties were significant in terms of CP. Ulusoy variety stands out with DMI, TDN, RFV, DE and ME.