Seed yield and nutritive value of dry, mature subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune

The nutritive value of 26 cultivars of dry, mature subterranean clover was evaluated at Shenton Park, Perth, Western Australia. The cultivars were divided into 3 maturity groups according to flowering time and each cultivar was sown in blocks comprising 4 replicates. The plots were grazed by sheep at 2-week intervals during the growing season. Dry mature plant material and soil were sampled in summer to examine the effect of grazing and cultivar on seed yield and nutritive value of feed residues. Cultivars heavily grazed in spring had a low herbage mass. There was no difference in seed yield and seed weight between heavily and lightly grazed cultivars. Dry matter digestibility and mineral content of dry residues was inconsistent for the 2 grazing treatments. The dry matter digestibility of dry, mature subterranean clover ranged from 40 to 56%, with a wide range of crude fibre, nitrogen and mineral content for the 26 cultivars. While most minerals in the dry residues were above the requirement for sheep, 7 cultivars had a zinc content less than the maintenance requirement for sheep. There was an imbalance for all cultivars in calcium: phosphorus with a range of 4–10: 1. Concurrent estimates on the yield and composition of seed indicated that seed can be resource of minerals for grazing animals in summer. Most cultivars had a seed yield over 100 g/m2 with that of 9 cultivars being over 130 g/m2. Seed was rich in nitrogen, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper, and poor in sodium, calcium and manganese. However, there were no cultivars with an appropriate ratio of calcium and phosphorus. The imbalance in nitrogen and sulfur was a result of high nitrogen content with the ratio ranging from 19: 1 to 29: 1.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 927 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. A. Bolland ◽  
I. F. Guthridge

For the first time, we quantified pasture dry matter (DM) responses to applied fertiliser nitrogen (N) for intensively grazed, rain-fed, dairy pastures on sandy soils common in the Mediterranean-type climate of south-western Australia. The pastures are composed of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and annual and Italian ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud. and L. multiflorum Lam.). Six rates of N, as urea (46% N), were applied to 15 m by 15 m plots four times during 2002 and after each of the first 5–7 grazings in 2003 and 2004, throughout the typical April–October growing season. Total rates of N applied in the first year of the experiments were 0, 60, 120, 160, 200 and 320 kg N/ha, which were adjusted in subsequent years as detailed in the ‘Materials and methods’ section of this paper. The pastures in the experiments were rotationally grazed, by starting grazing when ryegrass plants had 2–3 leaves per tiller. The amount of pasture DM on each plot was measured before and after each grazing and was then used to estimate the amount of pasture DM consumed by the cows at each grazing for different times during the growing season. Linear increases (responses) of pasture DM to applied N occurred throughout the whole growing season when a total of up to 320 kg N/ha was applied in each year. No maximum yield plateaus were defined. Across all three experiments and years, on average in each year, a total of ~5 t/ha consumed DM was produced when no N was applied and ~7.5 t/ha was produced when a total of 200 kg N/ha was applied, giving ~2.5 t/ha increase in DM consumed and an N response efficiency of ~12.5 kg DM N/kg applied. As more fertiliser N was applied, the proportion of ryegrass in the pasture consistently increased, whereas clover content decreased. Concentrations of nitrate-N in the DM consistently increased as more N was applied, whereas concentrations of total N, and, therefore, concentration of crude protein in the DM, either increased or were unaffected by applied N. Application of N had no effect on concentrations of other mineral elements in DM and on dry matter digestibility and metabolisable energy of the DM. The results were generally consistent with findings of previous pasture N studies for perennial and annual temperate and subtropical pastures. We have shown that when pasture use for milk production has been maximised in the region, it is profitable to apply fertiliser N to grow extra DM consumed by dairy cows; conversely, it is a waste of money to apply N to undergrazed pastures to produce more unused DM.



1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
KB Kelly ◽  
WK Mason

Eighteen annual species (38 lines) of the genus Trifolium were sown in 1982 as nursery plots to evaluate their potential under irrigation at Kyabram in northern Victoria. A wide range in plant habit, plant growth and flowering time was observed both within and between species. This experiment was used to select species for further agronomic evaluation; those selected were T. balansae CPI45856, T. purpureum cv. Paratta, T. resupinatum cv. Maral and the subterranean clover species T. brachycalycinum cv. Clare, T. subterraneum cv. Woogenellup and T. yanninicum cv. Trikkala. Pure swards of T. balansae, T. resupinatum and a mixture of subterranean clover cultivars were sown on five occasions in 1983. The first four sowings were established by irrigation on 7 February, 28 February, 21 March and 11 April; the fifth was sown on 20 June. T. purpureum was included only on 28 February and 20 June. Establishment was low (35% of germinable seed sown) at the first two times of establishment, when temperatures and evaporation rates were high. Early establishment increased the productivity of all species, by increasing autumn-winter production with only slight indications of a decline in spring growth. Spring productivity of T. resupinatum was superior to all other species. Irrigation into early summer maintained the growth of T. resupinatum but not of the other species. Data on growth rates, in vitro dry matter digestibility and nitrogen content are also presented.



2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 309-316
Author(s):  
O. O. Olufayo ◽  
O. O. Falola

The effect of processing on proximate, mineral, anti-nutritional compositions, gasproduction characteristics, methane production, predicted metabolizable energy, organic matter digestibility and short chain fatty acids production of Delonix regia seeds incubated with Pennisetum purpureum were determined. Five treatments (T1: mixture of soaked Delonix regia seed and Pennisetum purpureum; T2: mixture of raw Delonix regia seed and Pennisetum purpureum; T3: mixture of roasted Delonix regia seed and Pennisetum purpureum; T4: mixture of boiled Delonix regia seed and Pennisetum purpureum and T5:100% Pennisetum purpureum which serves as control) were designed. In vitro gas production techniques for 24 hours were used to determine the nutritive value of processed 50% Delonix regia seed and 50% Pennisetum purpureum. The crude protein ranged from 13.38 to 15.71g/100g DM among the treatments while crude fibre was between 20.10 and 21.40g/100g DM, ether extract ranged from 1.90 to 3.12g/100g DM and ash 7.77 to 12.34g/100g DM. Calcium ranged from (2.34 - 3.61%), magnesium ranged (2.90 – 3.48%), sodium (2.05 – 2.91%) and phosphorus (0.88 – 1.12%). It was observed generally that T2 recorded the highest among the treatments while the values obtained for the heat treated seeds were lower than the raw. Oxalates ranged between (0.23% - 0.32%), phytates (0.29 – 0.43%), tannin (0.03 – 0.08%) and saponnin (0.36 – 0.49%). Methane (ml/200mg DM) production indicated T3 (50% roasted Delonix regia seed and 50% Pennisetum purpureum) was highest. The potential gas production 'a+b' ranged from 12.33 to 28.33mL/200mg DM). The highest potential gas production 'a+b' value of 28.33mL/200mg DM was obtained in T1 compared to other dietary treatment. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) ranged between 70.23 – 91.02% while the rate of fermentation was between 0.51 and 1.18ml/hr. The rate of fermentation was directly proportional to dry matter digestibility (DMD); the soaked recorded the highest value. Processing enhanced the nutritional contents of Delonix regia seeds. The result obtained showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) among the treatments. In conclusion, soaking the seeds of Delonix regia had beter nutritional contents and has the potential for dry season feeding.  



2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune

While it has been reported that leaves of subterranean clover are less digestible than stems, there is a lack of information on the variability of nutritive value of plant parts of subterranean clover. To determine the variation in nutritive value of leaf, petiole, stem and burr, an experiment with 26 cultivars of subterranean clover was conducted at Shenton Park Field Station, Perth, Western Australia. The cultivars were divided into 3 maturity groups according to flowering time and each cultivar was sown in blocks comprising 4 replicates. The plots were grazed by sheep at 2-weekly intervals. Plants were sampled at the vegetative stage before grazing and after the cessation of flowering. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) and nitrogen concentration of leaves, petioles, stems and burrs were determined. At the vegetative stage, there was no difference in DMD (P>0.05) among plant parts for most cultivars, and leaf had the highest (P<0.05) nitrogen concentration (4.8–5.4%). After the cessation of flowering, leaf had the highest DMD and nitrogen concentration (P<0.05). The DMD of plant parts differed significantly among cultivars (P<0.05). There was a slight decrease in DMD over time for leaves and a significant decrease in DMD for stems and petioles. These results suggest the main objective of grazing management of subterranean clover swards should be to increase the proportion of leaf material in the swards and that selection of leafy varieties by breeding could improve the late season digestibility of subterranean clover. Such management and breeding strategies would have value when the cultivars are in mixed pastures or used with supplements in summer.



1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 540 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Milford

The chemical composition and feeding value of seven tropical legumes and lucerne were determined by pen feeding experiments with sheep. Most of the legumes were harvested during autumn and winter. Lucerne had the highest feeding value and the highest values for the tropical legumes were obtained for Vigna vexillata, Lotononis bainesii, and Desmodium uncinatum. After frosting, the feeding values of Phaseolus lathyroides and Vigna vexillata were reduced but that of Desmodium uncinatum was not changed. This may have been due to a greater loss of leaf by both P. lathyoides and V. vexillata than by D. uncinatum. Frost did not affect Lotononis bainesii and Medicago sativa, and both had a higher feeding value than the legumes affected by frost. The usefulness of crude protein and crude fibre for estimating dry matter digestibility and dry matter intake and the relation between dry matter digestibility and dry matter intake is discussed. The use of dry matter digestibility to express the nutritive value of feed energy in preference to organic matter digestibility, starch equivalents, and total digestible nutrients is also discussed.



1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 817 ◽  
Author(s):  
JD McFarlane

Three cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cvv. Woogenellup, Nungarin; Trifolium yanninicum cv. Trikkala) were grown on three copper-deficient soil types at seven rates of copper, applied at sowing, to determine their vegetative and seed yield response to copper fertilizer.On two soil types, symptoms of copper deficiency were apparent where no copper was supplied. On the third, symptoms appeared only in one season, after the site was waterlogged. On the three soil types, the symptoms disappeared when 0.125 kg Cu/ha was applied at sowing. although at this rate vegetative and seed yields were reduced by as much as 44% and 59% respectively.The proposed critical concentration range in youngest open leaf tissue for both diagnosing maximum vegetative dry matter and predicting maximum seed yield is 3.0-4.5 mg Cu/kg for Woogenellup and Nungarin subterranean clover. Trikkala subterranean clover had higher critical concentration ranges for diagnosing maximum vegetative dry matter (4.0-6.0 mg Culkg) and predicting maximum seed yield (4.5-7.0 mg Cu/kg). It was not clear whether this difference was due to a higher internal requirement for copper of Trikkala or overlying environmental conditions affecting the external copper supply at the time of sampling.For whole top tissue (WT), there was no difference in the critical concentration range between the three cultivars for diagnosing maximum vegetative yield (3.0-4.0 mg Cu/kg). However, the critical concentration in WT for predicting maximum seed yield was higher for Trikkala (5.0-6.0 mg Cu/kg) than Woogenellup and Nungarin (3.5-4.5 mg Cu/kg). In the pasture situation, a critical concentration of 5.0-6.0 mg Cu/kg in the WT should be adopted when animal requirement is considered.Seed copper concentration for predicting maximum seed or vegetative yield was not a reliable indicator of copper status of subterranean clover.



1969 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham N McC

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv. Clare) was harvested before flower emergence and dried rapidly without heating. Each of four adult sheep was given the dried clover at rates of 200, 600, 1000, and 1400 g/day in four successive fortnights and was finally fed ad libitum for 1 month. Energy, nitrogen, and carbon balances and body weight changes were measured. The fasting energy losses of the sheep were determined at the end of the experiment. The hay contained approximately 27% crude protein, 14% crude fibre, and 3% lignin (dry matter basis) and was eaten avidly by the sheep. Voluntary consumption ranged from 1400 to 2100 g dry matter/day, and maximum balances were 2080 kcal and 17 g nitrogen/day. Digestibility of energy was 78% at the lowest level of feeding and 74% at the highest. Cell wall and cell contents were respectively 74 and 82% digestible. Energy losses in methane were unusually low (7–11% of digestible energy) whereas losses in urine were unusually high (12–21%). The net result was that metabolizable energy was a lower fraction of digestible energy than for most forages, e.g, it was c. 77% at maintenance instead of the normal 82%. Net availability of metabolizable energy was 84% between fasting and half maintenance, 69% between fasting and maintenance, and 54% above maintenance. The value of this clover per gram was in keeping with its chemical composition and digestibility; its exceptional value as a feed was due to the large amounts of digestible energy which the sheep took in when fed ad libitum.



2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-422
Author(s):  
Amoka Pius ◽  
Tawose O M

The nutritive value ,voluntary dry matter intake, and the nutrient digestibility of graded levels of Gmelina arborea and cassava peels concentrates in WAD sheep was investigated. Twelve WAD sheep aged 1-2 years old and weighting 14.00± 0.45 kg were used in a complete randomized design. Diets were formulated such that cassava peels was replaced with Gmelina arborea leaf meal at 0, 33.33, 66.67, 100% levels, designated as diets A, B, C, and D respectively. Diet without Gmelina arborea leaf meal was tagged the control diet. The concentrate feed was compounded to contain 16% CP. Diets with 33.33% inclusion level of Gmelina arborea had significantly (P<0.05) higher dry matter intake (DMI) 598.80g day-1, while the lowest DMI 425.00g day-1 was obtained in animals fed 100% inclusion level of Gmelina arborea. Crude protein intake (CPI) of animals fed diets with 33.33% inclusion levels of Gmelina arborea were significantly (P<0.05) highest, followed by 66.67% inclusion level and the least was observed in 0% inclusion level of Gmelina arborea. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) was significantly (P<0.05) different across the dietary treatments, animals placed on diets with 33.33% inclusion level had the highest DMD, followed by animals on diets with 66.67, 100 and 0% inclusion levels. CP digestibility (P<0.05) increased from 33.33% to 100% inclusion levels of Gmelina arborea leaf meal, the lowest CP digestibility was observed at 0% inclusion level. CF digestibility (P<0.05) increased from 33.33% to 100% inclusion levels of Gmelina arborea leaf meal, while the lowest CF digestibility was observed at 0% inclusion level. N intake increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in the level of Gmelina arborea inclusion from 33.33% to 100%. N retention was significantly (P<0.05) different, diets with 33.33% Gmelina arborea inclusion had the highest value (64.36g day-1) followed by 66.67%, 100% and the least (52.64g day-1) was at 0% inclusion level of Gmelina arborea.  N balance values also followed the same trend. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the inclusion of Gmelina arborea leaf meal in WAD rams diet was well tolerated without adverse effect on acceptability, intake and nutrient digestibility, and inclusion level of 33.33% is hereby recommended in ruminants diet for optimum performance and productivity.



1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
JN Black

Changes in the pre-emergence distribution of dry matter in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) variety Bacchus Marsh were followed at 21°C, using three sizes of seed and three depths of sowing, ½, 1¼, and 2 in. Decreasing seed size and increasing depth of sowing both reduce the weight of the cotyledons a t emergence. Seed of the three sizes were sown a t three depths in pot culture a t staggered intervals so that emergence was simultaneous. Dry weight in the early vegetative stage was proportional to seed size, and total leaf area and leaf numbers showed similar trends. Plants of each seed size grew at the same relative rate. No effect of depth of sowing could be detected, and this was shown to be due to the cotyledon area a t emergence being constant for any given seed size, regardless of varying depth of sowing and hence of cotyledon weight. It was concluded that seed size in a plant having epigeal germination and without endosperm is of importance: firstly, in limiting the maximum hypocotyl elongation and hence depth of sowing, and secondly, in determining cotyledon area. Cotyledon area in turn influences seedling growth, which is not affected by cotyledon weight. Once emergence has taken place, cotyledonary reserves are of no further significance in the growth of the plants.



1973 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. PELLETIER ◽  
E. DONEFER

Three yearling Cheviot × Suffolk ewes and three Columbia wethers were confined in metabolic cages and fed ad libitum fresh and dried marrow-stem kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala D.C.) harvested in mid- and late October. Chemical analyses of the forages indicated no marked effects on any of the plant constituents due to drying or advancing maturity. Digestibility measurements demonstrated that marrow-stem kale (MSK) was a highly digestible material with an average dry matter digestibility of 78%. The fresh forages had higher (P < 0.05) dry matter and gross energy digestibility values than the dried form. Dry matter digestibility coefficients were higher (P < 0.05) for late October as compared with the earlier harvest. A trend toward higher (P > 0.05) voluntary intake values due to drying maturity was observed with an average relative intake of 80%. The nutritive value index averaged 65, thus indicating a digestible energy intake similar to a high-quality (legume) forage.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document