000163870 001__ 163870
000163870 005__ 20251107115329.0
000163870 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2025.116541
000163870 0248_ $$2sideral$$a145980
000163870 037__ $$aART-2025-145980
000163870 041__ $$aeng
000163870 100__ $$aHassan, Mahmoud
000163870 245__ $$aUse of cucumber waste silage as an alternative forage source for sheep
000163870 260__ $$c2025
000163870 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000163870 5203_ $$aHorticultural production in the Mediterranean basin generates considerable quantities of by-products, which, if not valorised, can pose environmental problems. This study evaluated the potential of cucumber–straw silage as an alternative forage for sheep. Eighteen Segureña sheep (10 months old; 30 ± 0.4 kg BW) were allocated to two experimental forages: oats hay (CTL, 985 g/kg DM) or cucumber–straw silage (SIL, 15 g/kg DM). The SIL forage contained more NDF (780 vs. 516 g/kg DM) and less CP (64.9 vs. 82.9 g/kg DM) than CTL. The trial included one week of adaptation with ad libitum feeding followed by two weeks of restricted intake. Measurements during the last week included digestibility, N balance, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolites. Results indicated that health status remained unaffected, and DMI was similar under ad libitum feeding. Under restricted intake, SIL-fed sheep displayed slightly higher DMI (+12 %), greater digestible energy intake (+33 %), and higher ruminal acetate (+10 %) and butyrate (+40 %), accompanied by increased blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations (+89 %). Despite lower CP intake, SIL-fed animals exhibited higher ruminal iso-acid proportions and blood urea N, suggesting enhanced proteolysis and urea recycling. These compensatory mechanisms resulted in similar ruminal NH3-N levels and microbial protein synthesis across treatments, although N retention and efficiency were significantly lower in the SIL group. In conclusion, SIL represents a feasible energy source for sheep, although its limited protein content may require further N supply in high-yielding ruminants. This silage valorisation could reduce food waste and improve circular agriculture and sustainability in livestock production.
000163870 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/ 818368/EU/Microbiome Applications for Sustainable food systems through Technologies and EnteRprise/MASTER$$9This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No H2020 818368-MASTER$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/RYC2019-027764-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
000163870 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es
000163870 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000163870 700__ $$aRivelli, Inés
000163870 700__ $$aYáñez-Ruiz, David R.
000163870 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0001-5880-6021$$aBelanche, Alejandro$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000163870 7102_ $$12008$$2700$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.$$cÁrea Producción Animal
000163870 773__ $$g330 (2025), 116541 [12 pp.]$$pAnim. feed sci. technol.$$tAnimal Feed Science and Technology$$x0377-8401
000163870 8564_ $$s662153$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163870/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000163870 8564_ $$s2016619$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163870/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000163870 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:163870$$particulos$$pdriver
000163870 951__ $$a2025-11-07-10:26:22
000163870 980__ $$aARTICLE