The objective of this trial was to estimate chemical composition, digestibility and ruminal degradation kinetics of silages from four sunflower hybrids: Rumbosol-91 (forage), M-734 (double purpose), C-11 (double purpose) and BRS-191 (grain) sowed in October (early), November (normal) and December (late). A randomized complete block design in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement (four hybrids x three seeding dates) with three replicates was used. Dry matter values ranged from 23.2 to 43.0%, pH from 4.0 to 5.1, and NH3-N%/TN from 5.3 to 16.8%. Ash values increased from October to December ranging from 6.8 to 8.8%. The Rumbosol-91 showed the lowest content of EE and the highest contents of N in the cell wall, unavailable N and total carbohydrates (TC). Crude protein contents increased from October to December while the opposite was observed for TC. November sowing and the C-11 gave the lowest contents of NDF, NDFcp and ADF. The C-11 sowed in November gave the lowest ADL values. October sowing and the Rumbosol-91 gave the highest content of ADL%/NDF. The Rumbosol-91 gave higher IVDMD and IVNDFD. November sowing and the C-11 and M-734 hybrids gave the highest value of TDN. Only one degradation profile was necessary to fit DM disappearance data. The proportion of undegradable NDF (I) increased from October to December sowing, being the BRS-191 sowed in December gave the highest values. The extent (Vf1) and rate (k1) of degradation of soluble fractions of rapid digestion decreased from October to December sowing, being the Rumbosol-91 sowed in October gave the highest values. The overall nutritive value measured by chemical composition, digestibility, total digestible nutrients and ruminal degradation kinetics was better for the M-734 and C-11 hybrids sowed in November.
bromatological composition; gas production; gravimetric technique; Helianthus annuus; in vitro digestion
