Determination of Yield, Nutrient Composition, and Digestibility of Roughage Crops Grown Under Waterless Conditions

PROJECT NAME:

Determination of Yield, Nutrient Composition, and Digestibility of Roughage Crops Grown in Waterless Conditions

PROJECT MANAGER:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eren Kuter

PROJECT SUBJECT:

Due to climate change caused by the increase in global temperature, there is a decrease in the amount of rainfall per unit area and in groundwater. Considering the change in climate zones and the increase in global temperature, it is predicted that the decrease in our country's water resources will continue. Effective measures need to be taken in different areas to prevent water scarcity, which is a major problem we may face in the near future. When evaluated on an annual basis, a significant portion of our total water consumption is used in agriculture. Roughage crop farming also has a significant share in agricultural irrigation. The future of the world depends on effectively combating the aforementioned problems. For this purpose, sustainability is an indispensable issue in all production areas such as agriculture, livestock, tourism, and industry. Currently, many studies are being conducted in this context. Sustainable livestock is not just a theme that addresses animal production. In this context, many issues such as soil, climate, water resources, irrigation models, environmental pollution, and carbon footprint are included. The efficiency of animal production is closely related to agricultural production. Feed production and animal nutrition are at the intersection of agriculture and livestock. Today, the largest cost in animal production is feed cost. In well-managed enterprises, the ratio of feed cost to total cost is around 70-75%.
One of the important branches of animal production is the feed of large and small ruminants, which consists of roughage and concentrate feeds. The roughage group includes green feeds, dry hay, silage feeds, root and tuber feeds, and feeds rich in fillers. This feed group plays a key role in the sustainability of the health and productivity (quantity and quality) of ruminants. The ratio of roughage and concentrate feeds used in the ration varies depending on the productivity direction and level of ruminants. However, it is not possible to make a ration without using roughage, which is of unique importance in the nutrition of these animals. The dry matter of the ration used in the nutrition of ruminants consists of 40-100% roughage. Additionally, these feeds are equally important in the nutrition of single-hoofed animals such as horses and donkeys. The nutritional needs of animals vary throughout the year.
During this process, roughage is used more in some periods, while in other periods, almost the entire ration consists of roughage. The level of roughage use in the ration is directly related to production cost. As the rate of meeting the animal's nutritional needs with roughage increases, the profitability of animal production also increases. Due to the geographical structure of our country, different climatic characteristics are observed in different regions. Similarly, the soil structure is not uniform. As a result, the same amount of roughage production cannot be achieved everywhere in our country. In addition to insufficient roughage production, the quality of feeds grown in Turkey's arid regions is also low due to climatic conditions.
Although Burdur is located in the Mediterranean Region, it does not have the general climatic characteristics of the region. In our province, winters are cold and rainy, while summers are hot and dry. The factors affecting agricultural production seen throughout our country (such as soil structure, rainfall, temperature) also appear on the scale of Burdur. The variable soil and climate structures of Burdur's districts indicate that the same forage crops cannot be grown in the same quantity and quality throughout the province.

The Main Theme of This Research

• Minimizing environmental impact
• Selection of forage crops to be planted according to local soil and climate structures without irrigation
• Determining the most effective roughage crops in terms of nutrient composition and digestibility
• Researching the conditions and, if necessary, the additives required to provide the appropriate usage form (green grass, dry hay, silage, etc.) of these crops.
 

PROJECT OBJECTIVE:

The objectives of the project can be summarized under three main headings: minimizing environmental impacts, producing quality roughage, and using the produced roughage in the most effective way.

1. Minimizing environmental impacts

The effects of global warming and associated climate change, the overuse of existing water resources (agricultural wild irrigation), and the pollution of soil due to the unconscious use of fertilizers and pesticides are resulting in a decrease in our arable lands day by day. The biggest threat to agricultural production today is drought. Water is an indispensable element for the production of roughage and concentrate feeds, which are components of animal feeds, as in all other plant productions. When it comes to roughage crops in many regions of our country, silage corn (Zea mays) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) come to mind first. Both of these roughage crops require a large amount of water during the production phase. It is planned to determine the roughage crops with the highest yield levels among those grown without irrigation in Burdur city center and all its districts to allow the most effective use of arid areas. As a result of this study, the roughage crops that show the highest yield without irrigation in different regions can be determined.

2. Producing quality roughage

In our country, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa), common vetch (Vicia sativa), silage corn (Zea mays), Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica), bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia), forage pea (Pisum sativum), pea (Lathyrus sativus), wheat (Triticum aestivum), triticale (Triticosecale Wittmack), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) are generally grown as roughage crops. When selecting among these crops, whether the land is irrigable or not is a very important criterion. It should be remembered that different crops have different requirements under different soil and climate conditions. If every crop could be grown under every condition, we could cultivate crops like soybeans, which we are heavily dependent on importing, in our country and eliminate the need for imports. Considering variable factors such as soil, climate, and irrigation characteristics, it is not possible to cultivate every crop in every region with the same yield characteristics. When it comes to roughage yield, criteria such as the amount of green grass, dry hay, or bales obtained per decare are considered. However, when the quality of roughage is examined as a whole, it is seen that yield parameters are only one of the indicators. In addition to the yield amount, yield quality must also be considered. As the vegetation period progresses in plants, the seasonal growth requirements and the nutrient composition of the plant also change. In roughage farming, in addition to the yield amount obtained from a unit area, the yield quality must also be considered. As the growth period progresses in plants, their nutritional value also changes. One of the most basic changes is the change in the amount and structure of structural carbohydrates. As the plant ages, the amount of structural carbohydrates, primarily crude cellulose, increases. The increase in the level of these structural carbohydrates, known as crude cellulose, reduces the digestibility of the roughage crop. No matter how high the amount of plant production we obtain from a unit area, if animals cannot sufficiently digest these plants, the feed value of these plants remains low. In this context, the amount of roughage obtained from a unit area, the seasonal nutrient composition, and the digestibility of the nutrients form the pillars of roughage quality. The period when these three criteria are optimal is determined as the most suitable harvest period for the plant.

3. Using existing roughage in the most effective way

In the spring and summer months, when roughage production is abundant, roughage prices are low, and roughage quality is high. In the winter months, usually, the opposite situation is observed. To achieve profitable livestock farming, roughage should be procured during periods when it is abundant and of high quality and stored in conditions that will best preserve its nutrient composition. For this purpose, annual feed requirements should be determined in enterprises, and necessary planning should be made. The most common methods used in the preservation and storage of forage crops are drying and silage making. If dry hay is not stored under proper conditions, negative situations such as heating or rotting are frequently encountered. Even if good storage is done, the leaves, which are the most valuable part of the plant in terms of nutrition, are mechanically damaged during the feeding stage, leading to leaf losses. In silage feeds, leaf loss can be minimized. However, the silage of each roughage crop cannot be made equally easily and with the same quality. Many factors, such as the amount of easily soluble carbohydrates, crude protein content, or the buffering capacity of the plant, affect silage quality. These factors vary from plant to plant. Therefore, additives are needed when making silage of some plants. As a result, it is aimed to determine the appropriate storage and usage methods for roughage crops that will be obtained with the highest quality without irrigation in the region.

PROJECT'S REGIONAL CONTRIBUTION:

The problem of water scarcity, which threatens the country's and region's livestock, especially causes insufficiency in forage crop production. The yield levels of forage crops grown without irrigation are also insufficient. In addition to irrigation, other factors such as soil structure and ambient temperature also affect yield. In this context, there are significant differences between the soil structures, climatic characteristics, annual average rainfall amounts, and rainfall periods of Burdur city center and its districts. This indicates that a forage crop cannot show the same yield characteristics in all these regions. As a result of the project, the agricultural characteristics, suitable usage forms (green grass, dry hay, silage, etc.), nutrient compositions, and digestibility of forage crops that are intensively cultivated or can be alternative in the aforementioned regions with different characteristics will be determined. Today, feed cost ranks at the top among total expenses in all branches of livestock. From this perspective, it is not possible to reduce the price of animal products without reducing feed costs. In other words, it is not possible to create a profitable livestock model without optimizing feed production.
The abundance of feed production will lower feed prices as a requirement of the economy. To increase the amount of feed production, not even a handful of soil should be left idle, and ways to bring it into agricultural production should be sought. To encourage this, farmers must see the return on their labor. For example, a farmer who plows, fertilizes, and sows a field but does not obtain a suitable amount of product from it moves away from agricultural production. One of the main reasons for this is the traditional production understanding. Climatic conditions and soil structure are among the most important factors in crop variety and productivity. As a result of global climate change, average temperatures and rainfall amounts are changing in our country as in different regions of the world. Therefore, the selection of forage crops must be made by considering the soil structure and climatic conditions of the region.

In the research, considering the different soil structures, average temperatures, and rainfall amounts of Burdur city and all its districts, it is planned to determine the roughage crops that can be obtained with the highest yield and quality without additional irrigation outside of seasonal rains. The nutrient compositions (dry matter, moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude cellulose, nitrogen-free extract, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, etc.) and total digestibility (dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber digestibility) of high-yielding roughage crops in different growth periods will be determined, thus the roughage quality (relative feed value, dry matter intake, net energy lactation level, etc.) of that plant can be calculated.
By planting the most suitable roughage crop or a mixture of roughage crops for the region that can be grown in waterless conditions, the highest yield in terms of quantity and composition can be obtained from a unit area. The crops can be harvested when they are at their highest nutritional value and stored under the most suitable conditions according to their plant characteristics.
With the spread of this application throughout the province

• Increasing production efficiency (harvesting and storing the suitable forage crop at the most appropriate time from the region),
• Reducing feed costs, which are at the top of the expenses of livestock enterprises,
• Increasing the yield and quality of animal products,
• Reducing the price of animal products as a result of increased production efficiency,
• Protecting the region's water resources by avoiding excessive water use,
• Improving the economic conditions of people engaged in agriculture and livestock, thus attracting more people (especially young people) to these sectors.
 

PROJECT'S SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION:

As climate change affects many production sectors, its negative effects on agriculture and livestock are also felt in Turkey, as in different regions of the world. Irregularities in the rainfall regime (time, amount, and intensity), a decrease in soil moisture levels, and air temperatures being above seasonal averages have negatively affected the production of roughage, which is of great importance both economically and physiologically in the breeding of large and small ruminants. In many regions, the cultivation of forage crops such as silage corn and alfalfa, which require irrigation, cannot be done due to the inability to irrigate. In this context, the search for forage crop alternatives that require less water consumption is among the priority research topics in our country as well as worldwide. When talking about yield in forage crops, in addition to the yield of grass obtained from a unit area, their nutrient compositions and digestibility are also of great importance. As the vegetation period progresses in plants, the amount of grass that can be obtained per decare will increase. However, during this process, the nutrient composition of the plant also changes, and the indigestible parts of the plant increase. As a result, more grass can be obtained from a unit area, but the digestible portion of this by the animal decreases. One of the important points when researching forage crops that can be grown without irrigation is to determine how effectively the plant uses water, in other words, how efficiently the plant can use water. Plants that use water more efficiently can be an alternative for arid regions. With the generalization of research, forage crop production efficiency can be increased nationwide. There are significant differences in factors that are decisive for agricultural production, such as soil structure, average air temperature, rainfall season, and rainfall amount throughout our country. In this context, differences are also observed between the forage crops planted and their harvest times. With the research, it is aimed to determine the yield amounts, water usage characteristics, nutrient compositions, suitable storage conditions, and usage forms (silage, dry hay, etc.) and total digestibility of forage crops commonly grown in the region through multiple sampling to be conducted in Burdur city center and its districts. According to the project outputs, the suitable harvest periods and usage forms of the researched forage crops can be determined as a result of a joint evaluation in terms of yield, usage form, nutrient composition, and digestibility. According to the research data, alternative forage crop planting can be planned for different regions.
Currently, the biggest complaint of feed producers is input costs such as fertilizer, diesel, seeds, and electricity. These problems can be eliminated with medium and long-term planning. However, situations such as climate change, global warming, and the depletion of water resources are far beyond what humanity can cope with. Our main approach should be to minimize these questions and prevent their severe effects. In this context, water scarcity must be taken into account when planning the future of agricultural production.
With the spread of this application throughout the region

• Increasing production efficiency
• Reducing feeding costs in livestock enterprises
• Improving the yield and quality of animal products
• Reducing the price of animal products as a result of increased production
• Protecting animal health
• Improving the economic conditions of people engaged in agriculture and livestock
• Attracting more people to this sector

It is thought that the regional outputs can spread to the whole country in the medium and long term, and especially young people will turn to agriculture and livestock using scientific data, turning into a great social contribution. It is foreseen that the project outputs will shed light on new research in the field of forage crop production and animal nutrition in regions of our country experiencing water scarcity, accelerate planning for the protection of environmental resources, and help create awareness on this issue.