Information Package / Course Catalogue
Forages
Course Code: VHB623
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: Third Cycle (Doctorate Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 2
Credit: 4
Lab: 0
ECTS: 9
Objectives of the Course

Forages and classification of forages. Importance of forages in ruminants. Forages and its economic importance in Turkey and World. Forages and its varieties. Production of forages. Forage production technology. Providing support for improving forage production in Turkey followed by recent developments in world

Course Content

Importance of forages in nutrition. Importance of forages in nutrition of different livestock. Criterias for forage quality. Classification of forages. Common forages used in Turkey. Their negative or positive effects on production.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Prof. Bülent ÖZSOY
Learning Outcomes
1.Importance of forage in economic animal husbandry
2.Varieties of forages and their production
3.Conserved forages; High quality silage and hay production
4.Gaining information about the nutrient levels of high and low quality forages and their importance to digestion physiology.
5.Economic importance of forages for livestock Forage types and producing of quality forages Conservation of forages, hay making and silage making, Nutritive value of high and low quality forages and importance of them on the view of the digestive physiology
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Barnes, R.F., Nelson, C.J., Moore, K.J., Collins, M. (2007) Forages, Blackwell Publishing.
2.Cheeke, P.R. (1999) Applied Animal Nutrition: Feeds and Feeding, Prentice Hall International, USA.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Importance of forages in ruminant nutrition.
Week 1 - Practice
Discussion of availability of developing pastures. Giving information about forages their past and future in Turkey.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Classification of forages.
Week 2 - Practice
Chemical, physical and microbiological treatments used in determination of forage quality.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Green forages, pastures.
Week 3 - Practice
Demonstrating forage sampling and preparation for the laboratory analysis.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Graminosa and legumunosa green forages
Week 4 - Practice
Discussion of critical points considered in determination of dietary supplementation levels of forages in different animal species (large, small ruminants and horses).
Week 5 - Theoretical
Hays and drying methods.
Week 5 - Practice
Sharing recent informations about the problems occurred in forage production.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Determination of quality in hays and its importance. Nutrient losses in drying procedure.
Week 6 - Practice
Searching the ability of forages satisfying the daily nutrient needs of animals.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Silage and classification of silage (Midterm exam)
Week 7 - Practice
Searching the forages produced in close regions. Teaching their given amounts to different animal species with different production type.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Evaluation of exam results and general subject repetition.
Week 8 - Practice
Presentation of homework
Week 9 - Theoretical
Advantages of silage
Week 9 - Practice
Demonstrating high and low quality silage. Factors effecting silage quality. Demonstrating organoleptic treatments of silage.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Optimum condition for lactic acid bacteria. Optimum feed plants for silage microbiology. Characteristics of high quality silage.
Week 10 - Practice
Evaluation of physical form and storage conditions of silage given to animals in close farms.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Losses in silaging. Silage additives. Silage consumption.
Week 11 - Practice
Sharing informations about the effects of forage processing on the bioavilability of nutrients. Giving home assignment related to this subject.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Root and tuber feeds: roots
Week 12 - Practice
Determination of the effects of xylose and glucose treatments on feed digestibility and animal performance.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Feeds rich from ballast substances. Importance of ballast in feeds.
Week 13 - Practice
Teaching biotecnological developments used in enhancing complex carbohydrate utilization in low quality feeds.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Hull, glume and other feeds.
Week 14 - Practice
Determination of hygiene status of forages. Identification of non-feed substances by chemical and physical methods.
Week 15 - Final Exam
Final exam
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%30
Final Examination1%70
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Lecture - Practice150230
Assignment89180
Reading140456
Midterm Examination112214
Final Examination115217
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)225
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
PÇ-13
PÇ-14
PÇ-15
PÇ-16
PÇ-17
PÇ-18
PÇ-19
OÇ-1
5
5
5
OÇ-2
5
5
5
OÇ-3
5
5
5
OÇ-4
5
5
OÇ-5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026