This experiment was carried out to study the effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and urea on chemical composition, nutritive value and rumen fermentation characteristics of whole-crop barley. In a completely randomized design with cross over arrangement, 4 Suffolk male lambs were used. Whole-crop barley was either treated with LAB solution (35% dry matter) at the rate of 2 L/ton herbage fresh weight or urea (55% dry matter) at the rate of 40 Kg/ton dry matter herbage and ensiled for 60 days. Low dry matter silages had lower pH and higher residual water soluble carbohydrates, ammonia-N, lactic acid and ethanol and higher lactate:acetate ratios. LAB resulted in higher lactic acid content and lactate:acetate ratios. DM (P<0.001), OM (P<0.01), NDF (P<0.05), ADF (P<0.01) and total nitrogen (TN) digestibility increased with additives. Mean rumen ammonia-N concentration and pH significantly (P<0.05) increased with urea-treated silages. Rumen propionate concentration was significantly (P<0.01) higher with LAB-treated silages than with urea-treated ones. The results indicated that the addition of LAB at the rate of 2 L/ton fresh weight to whole-crop barley at 35% dry matter enhanced fermentation and nutritive value.

Keywords: Whole- crop barley, Lactic acid producing bacteria(LAB), Urea, Nutritive value, Volatile fatty acid

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