Nutritive value responses to biological products in alfalfa forage (Medicago sativa L.)

Abstract

The effects of the biological insecticides Madex and Agricolle, applied alone or in combination with the biological fertilizers Lithovit and Nagro, on chemical composition and enzyme in vitro digestibility, as well as energy feeding value of alfalfa dry mass were studied. Treatments were carried out at the beginning of the flowering stage during the second cutting for control of economically important pests, testing a method of organic pest control. Independent and combined applications of several biological products were found to influence positively the chemical composition, enzyme in vitro digestibility, and energy and protein nutritional value of alfalfa feed. An optimal combination of decrease in the content of plant cell wall fiber components and a significant increase in forage enzyme in vitro digestibility was revealed after the application of Agricolle and a combination of Agricolle and Nagro. Digestibility reached 60.4 and 59.9%, respectively, which is an increase of 12.0 and 11.0%. Alfalfa low fiber, high protein content, and digestibility made a very good complement to grains and other forages in dairy rations after treatment with biological products.