NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FRESH, DRIED (HAY) AND ENSILED VINES OF FOUR SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas) VARIETIES GROWN IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Chemical composition and in vitro true dry matter digestibility (IVTDMD) of fresh, dried (hay) and ensiled vines of two early maturing (Belela and Temesgen) and two medium maturing varieties (Beletech and Tulla) were investigated. Hay was made by sun drying for 3 days. Silages were S1: vine alone, S2: vine+2%molasses, S3: vine+4% molasses, S4: vine+10% sweet potato root (SPR, % of wilted vine weight), S5: vine+20%SPR and S6: vine+30%SPR. They were ensiled in plastic buckets (8 liter) with airtight press cape in triplicate for 90 days in a lab at room temperature of 220C. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Hay of Belela, Temesgen, Beletech and Tulla had 17.5, 13.9 and 15.2 %CP (%DM); 36.3, 35.6, 40.5 and 38.8% NDF (%DM) and 81.1, 82.2, 75.0 and 76.7% IVTDMD, respectively, were found. There was a decrease in pH of silages (p