Nutritive value of dried citrus pulp and its effect on milk yield and milk composition of lactating ewes.
In a digestibility experiment, six adult wethers of the Karagouniko breed were used to determine the nutritive value of dried citrus pulp. The rations consisted of 800 g of hay and 75, 150, 225, 300, 375, and 450 g of citrus pulp. The apparent digestibilities of the DM, OM, CP, ether extract, crude fiber, and N-free extract for dried citrus pulp were 78.6, 87.2, 52.7, 82.0, 93.2, and 83.1%, respectively. Energy content was estimated to be 1.66 Mcal of NE(L)/kg of DM. In a second experiment, 26 lactating ewes of the Karagouniko breed were used to study the nutrient utilization of dried citrus pulp for milk yield when citrus pulp was used as a replacement for cereal grains. The ewes were divided into two groups immediately postweaning and fed daily 700 g of alfalfa hay, 300 g of wheat straw, and 580 or 550 g of concentrates with or without 30% citrus pulp, respectively. The inclusion of citrus pulp in rations for ewes had no significant effect on milk yield and composition but decreased the C4 to C10 fatty acids. Citrus pulp is a valuable, high energy by-product that can partly replace cereal grains in sheep rations without adverse effect on milk yield or composition.