Tavlas, Ayten; Yolcu, Halil; Tan, Mustafa

The objective of this study was to compare twenty-five genotypes of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) in terms of yield (in 2000 - 2004) and quality performance (in 2000 - 2001) for animal feeding. The genotypes were evaluated for dry matter yield (DMY), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestible dry matter (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI), relative feed value (RFV), total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energy-lactation (NEl), net energy-maintenance (NEm) and net energy-gain (NEg) content. There were significant differences in DMY (P < 0.01), CP, ADF, NDF, DDM, DMI, RFV (P < 0.05), TDN, NEl, NEm and NEg (P < 0.01) amongst the genotypes. The Rajah cultivar had the highest DMY (13629 kg ha-1) amongst the genotypes according to five year results. While the highest CP (15.94%), NDF (50.59%), DDM (68.68%), TDN (66.50%), NEl (0.70 Mcal/1b), NEm (0.76 Mcal/1b) and NEg (0.44 Mcal/1b) were determined in the L-818 line, the lowest ADF (25.96%) was also found in the L-818 line. The highest DMI (3.16%) was observed in the Hamua cultivar. The highest RFV was determined in the Tohum Islah ecotype (156), the Hamua (155), the Orbit (154) cultivars and the L-812 (154) line. Our results showed that there were large variations in terms of yield and quality performances amongst the red clover genotypes for animal feeding. The Rajah, L-832 (selected from wild forms) and Pawera had the highest yields amongst the genotypes. The L-818, L-812 lines (selected from wild forms), Tohum Islah ecotype, Lucrun and Redwent cultivars were superior in terms of forage quality properties (low in ADF and NDF and high CP, DDM, DMI, RFV, TDN, NEl, NEm, NEg) than the other red clover genotypes.

Yolcu, Halil; Tavlas, Ayten; Tan, Mustafa; Gunes, Adem

A field experiment was conducted in 2000-2001 at the Research Station of East Anatolia Agricultural Research Institute in Pasinler of Erzurum province in Turkey. In this study, 25 red clovers (Trifolium pratense L.) genotypes were evaluated in terms of chemical contents for animal feeding in the 2 years results. The red clover genotypes were sown in the spring of 2000. The experiment was designed a randomized complete block with replicated 4 times. The genotypes were harvested in 50% flowering once in 2000 and 3 times in 2001. There were significant differences in N (p<0.05), Mg (p<0.05), Zn (p<0.05), Fe (p<0.05), Mn (p<0.01) and Cu (p<0.01) contents but no in Na content among the red clover genotypes. According to 2 years results, especially L-818 line and Xiashao cultivar in N; L-1881 and L-812 line in Mg; Redwent cultivar, L-77, L-l 922 lines and Lucrun cultivars in Zn; L-77 line, Redwent cultivar, L-812, L-1922 lines and Lucrun cultivar in Fe; L-79 line, Redwent cultivar and L-77 line in Mn; L-79 line, Redwent cultivar and L-77 line in Cu had higher chemical contents than the others for animal feeding. The genotypes rich in terms of chemical content can be successfully used to meet the requirement the forage quality of animal and to gain new quality red clover genotypes for animal nutrition.