RESPONSE OF SMALL RUMINANTS TO DIETS CONTAINING REED FORAGE EITHER AS FRESH, SILAGE OR HAY VERSUS BERSEEM HAY.

ABSTRACT
This study started by nutritional evaluation (digestion coefficients and feeding value) of reed forage collected from three locations using Rahmani sheep. The best one was used in the second part of the study to compare effect of feeding reed in three forms as fresh, silage or hay on goat’s milk production, compositions and quality ending by economic efficiency. Reed collected from Manzalla is relatively the best but with insignificant difference compared to others. Feeding trials lasted for 20 weeks where four groups were assigned to receive the four experimental rations. All groups were fed on restricted amount of concentrate feed mixture, to cover 50% of the requirements recommended by NRC (1981) while reed, in the three forms, offered ad lib. 
Results show that reed silage had the highest digestion estimates, followed by berseem hay then fresh reed and lastly reed hay. Similarly, TDN and DCP were significantly (P<0.05) higher with RS and RF compared to RH and BH (berseem hay as control) rations. TVA's, measured at 4 hrs post feeding in rumen fluid, had no significant differences among the four tested rations. However, microbial protein values were significantly (P<0.05) higher with RS and RF compared to RH and BH rations.
Daily milk was significantly (P<0.05) higher for RS and RF compared to RH and BH rations. The highest milk yield was recorded with RS (1.23, Kg) while the lowest for RH (1.01Kg). Milk fat was superior with the three reed forms than berseem hay. Milk quality parameters were not differed significantly among all groups. The feed intake, kg dry matter, was better with reed silage (1.19 kg) and reed forage (1.22 kg) compared with reed hay (1.37 kg) and berseem hay (1.35 kg). Reed silage (RS) recorded the highest economic return followed by RF then RH rations while, the lowest was obtained by BH.It is concluded that reed silage recorded the best feeding values, milk production and quality beside the economic factor.