Farklı Brassica Türlerinin Kaba Yem Kalitesi

Alternative forage sources play a significant role in closing the quality forage deficit in Türkiye. Currently, the amount of forage obtained from forage crop production and pasturelands in Türkiye meets only about 35% of the total roughage requirement of the existing livestock population. This study aimed to determine the forage quality of different Brassica species (forage turnip, rapeseed, and canola) cultivated in Türkiye. The study material consisted of 9 winter Brassica species. The experiment was established in November 2023 at the Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University Agricultural Research and Application Area, based on a Randomized Complete Block Design. Harvesting was carried out at 50% flowering stage of the plants. In the samples, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), relative feed value (RFV), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), condensed tannin (CT), total phenolic (TP), total flavonoid (TF), and radical scavenging activity (DPPH) contents were determined. The highest crude protein content was found in the forage turnip cultivar Lenox (20.22%), while the lowest was observed in the cultivar Luciano (14.08%). The highest RFV values, statistically in the same group, were observed in Lenox (134.69), PR44W29 (128.05), and Exception (126.85), whereas the lowest was in Luciano (104.37). The K, P, Ca, and Mg contents of the species ranged between 2.39–2.78%, 0.51–0.61%, 0.77–1.09%, and 0.24–0.41%, respectively. The highest condensed tannin content was found in the statistically similar cultivars Lenox (1.42%) and Linus (1.30%), while the lowest was in Expower (0.72%). At the conclusion of the study investigating the forage quality of different Brassica species, the cultivars Lenox, Linus, and Exception stood out. This highlights the importance of these cultivars for use as forage. On the other hand, the forage quality of all species were found to be at a sufficient level in terms of animal health and the yield and quality of animal products.