ENSILING EFFECTS ON KOCHIA SCOPARIA CHARACTERISTICS

The objective of this study was to introduce Kochia scoparia as forage in Iran and to investigate characteristics of its ensiling via experiment based on a completely randomized design.Kochia scoparia was harvested from around Sabzevar city (Khorasan-razavi).This study was done at the department of animal science in ferdowsi university of Mashhad .Kochia was chopped and completely mixed then ensiled in experimental silos.and opened 60 days after ensiling. Samples were taken and pH was determined immediatelyusing on farm pH meter .Fresh samples were mixed with distilled water (1:1), and then pH wasdetermined. Another sample was dried for chemical analysis. DM, OM, ADF, Ash andCP were determined using standard methods.Data was analyzed using SAS 9.1 and means were compared using Duncan test (P<0.05). The result of this trial showed that silage of kochia can used for animal nutrition

ENSILING EFFECTS ON KOCHIA SCOPARIA CHARACTERISTICS Keywords:

silage , kochia , halophytes