Seasonal variation in the herbage yield and nutritive value of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars with high or normal herbage water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations grown in three contrasting Australian dairy environments

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 821 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Smith ◽  
R. J. Simpson ◽  
R. N. Oram ◽  
K. F. Lowe ◽  
K. B. Kelly ◽  
...  

Summary. Two lines of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), cv. Aurora and breeding line Ba 11351, from the United Kingdom with elevated concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates in the shoot were compared with the standard cultivars, Ellett, Vedette and Kangaroo Valley, in pure grass swards under irrigation at Kyabram, Victoria, and Gatton, Queensland, and under natural rainfall at Condah, Victoria, during 1995–97. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was used to predict the water-soluble carbohydrate, crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, neutral and acid detergent fibre, and Klason lignin concentrations of the perennial ryegrass herbage. Herbage yield and water-soluble carbohydrate differed between cultivars at each site at most harvests, with the high water-soluble carbohydrate lines usually yielding less and having higher water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations than the 3 standard cultivars. However, the high water-soluble carbohydrate lines also had higher water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations at harvests where their yield was equal to the standard cultivars. The other nutritive value traits differed significantly at more than half of the 32 harvests: the high water-soluble carbohydrate lines had higher crude protein and dry matter digestibility, and lower neutral detergent fibre, the neutral detergent fibre containing less acid detergent fibre and lignin than did the standard cultivars. The high water-soluble carbohydrate lines were more susceptible to crown rust during spring and summer than the standard cultivars at Kyabram and Gatton: heavy infections reduced yield, water-soluble carbohydrate, dry matter digestibility and crude protein. Higher water-soluble carbohydrate may depend on only a few genes, as does rust resistance and it seems likely that high yielding, high water-soluble carbohydrate cultivars can be developed by recombination and selection.

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Burns ◽  
P. O’Kiely ◽  
D. Grogan ◽  
S. Watson ◽  
T. J. Gilliland

Abstract This study examined 169 of the newest varieties of three ryegrass species, perennial (Lolium perenne L.), Italian (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and hybrid (Lolium boucheanum Kunth), from Recommended List trials in Ireland. The traits examined were yield, dry matter concentration, three nutritive value traits (in vitro dry matter digestibility, water-soluble carbohydrate on a dry matter basis and crude protein concentration) and two ensilability traits (buffering capacity and water soluble carbohydrate concentration on an aqueous phase basis). Varietal monocultures of each species underwent a six cut combined simulated grazing and silage management in each of two years following sowing. Perennial ryegrass yielded less than both other species in one-year-old swards, but less than only Italian ryegrass in two-year-old swards, but generally had the higher in vitro dry matter digestibility and crude protein values. Italian ryegrass displayed the most favourable ensilability characteristics of the three species with perennial ryegrass less favourable and hybrid ryegrass intermediate. Overall, despite the high yields and favourable nutritive value and ensilability traits recorded, the general differences between the three ryegrass species studied were in line with industry expectations. These findings justify assessing the nutritive value and ensilability of ryegrass species, in addition to yield, to allow farmers select species that match farming enterprise requirements.


2001 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. SMITH ◽  
R. J. SIMPSON ◽  
R. A. CULVENOR ◽  
M. O. HUMPHREYS ◽  
M. P. PRUD'HOMME ◽  
...  

Tetraploidy or the use of diploid genotypes with genes conferring high water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations are two mechanisms to increase the nutritive value of perennial ryegrass. This experiment compared the morphology, nutritive value and diurnal variation in water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations of 56-day-old plants from six perennial ryegrass cultivars grown under controlled environment conditions. Three of these cultivars were diploid (Melle, Aurora and Cariad) and three were tetraploids (Meltra, Prospero and AberOnyx) which had been derived from the respective diploid cultivars. Two of the diploid cultivars (Cariad and Aurora) had previously been selected for high concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates. The tetraploid cultivars had fewer (mean 59), larger tillers than the diploids (mean 83). However, with the exception of Melle and Meltra the dry matter yield of the diploid cultivars was not significantly different from their tetraploid derivatives. The effect of tetraploidy on WSC concentrations was dependent on the genetic background of the cultivars. Melle, which had not been previously selected for increased WSC, had a significantly lower WSC concentration than its tetraploid derivative, Meltra. However, tetraploidy did not further increase the WSC concentration in those cultivars previously selected for high WSC concentrations. WSC concentrations in the leaf of both Aurora and Melle rose by 65–70 g/kg throughout the photoperiod, suggesting that differences in the total WSC concentration of these cultivars were not due to any increase in the amount of carbon fixed by Aurora but rather due to differences in the allocation of carbon during growth and development. This experiment demonstrated that tetraploidy was not beneficial in improving the WSC concentration of perennial ryegrass when imposed on two diploid cultivars which had the genetic potential for increased WSC accumulation. However, tetraploidy significantly increased the WSC concentration and by implication the nutritive value of a cultivar derived from a perennial ryegrass cultivar with standard WSC concentrations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 901 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Radojevic ◽  
RJ Simpson ◽  
JA StJohn ◽  
MO Humphreys

Differences in the water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations of herbage of northern European perennial ryegrass cultivars (Aurora, Melle, Cariad) grown under southern Australian conditions, and a New Zealand perennial ryegrass cultivar (Ellett) which yields well in southern Australia, were investigated in relation to their nutritive value. The water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), total nitrogen, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and digestibility of NDF (NDFD) were measured in all cultivars. Aurora and Cariad exhibited higher WSC concentrations than the other cultivars, particularly during summer. This buffered the decline in IVDMD that was due to declining NDFD at that time of the year and resulted in an improvement in IVDMD of between 2 and 6%. Although WSC and nitrogen concentrations of the herbage were negatively correlated, this was due mainly to divergent seasonal variation in these components of the herbage.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Jonker ◽  
G. Molano ◽  
E. Sandoval ◽  
P. S. Taylor ◽  
C. Antwi ◽  
...  

Elevated water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration in the diet may affect rumen fermentation and consequently reduce methane (CH4) emissions. The objective of the present study was to determine CH4 emissions from male sheep (8 per treatment) in respiration chambers for 48 h and fed either a conventional diploid (CRG), a high-sugar diploid (HSG) or a tetraploid (TRG) perennial ryegrass cultivar, each offered at 0.7 or 1.0 kg dry matter (DM)/day during periods in early spring 2013 (P1), early autumn 2014 (P2) and late spring 2014 (P3). There was a significant (P < 0.001) interaction between cultivar and period for CH4 yield (g/kg DM intake). In P1 yield was 9% lower (P = 0.007) for sheep fed HSG than for sheep fed CRG or TRG, in P2 yield was 16% lower (P < 0.001) for sheep fed TRG than that for sheep fed CRG or HSG, and in P3 yield was 15% lower (P < 0.001) for sheep fed TRG than that for sheep fed CRG, with HSG-fed sheep being intermediate and not significantly different from either CRG or TRG. Despite there being a cultivar × period interaction, overall, CH4 yield was lower for sheep fed HSG or TRG than for sheep fed CRG (P < 0.001). There were no cultivar × level of feed offer interactions and, overall, yield of CH4 was 9% higher (P = 0.003) for sheep offered 0.7 than for sheep offered 1.0 kg DM/day. In each period, one or other of the high-WSC diploid (HSG) or tetraploid cultivars (TRG) gave lower CH4 yields than did the control diploid (CRG), suggesting that CH4 yield is reduced by characteristics of these cultivars. However, the effect was not consistently associated with either cultivar and could not be attributed to higher forage water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations.


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (61) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Michell

Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) levels were determined on 80 samples of known apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD) and voluntary intake of dry matter (DMI). The pastures consisted of regrowths of six species: Trifolium repens (white clover cv. Grasslands Huia), Lolium perenne x L. multiflorum (short rotation ryegrass c.v Grasslands Manawa), Lolium perenne (long rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands Ariki), Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass cv. Tasmania No. I), Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Currie) and Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Grasslands Apanui), cut eight times between May 1969 and August 1970. Overall, white clover had a lower NDF and a lower WSC content than the ryegrasses but both groups had similar ADF contents. Cocksfoots had higher NDF and ADF, and lower WSC contents than the ryegrasses. NDF and ADF could be used to predict the DMD of all species in all seasons with residual standard deviations (RSD) of 3.0 and 3.2 DMD units (per cent) respectively. No significant relations (P < 0.05) were present between DMD and WSC content. Seasonal differences were present in the relations between DMI and chemical composition. The RSD of the overall regressions of intake with NDF, ADF, and WSC contents were 9.3, 9.4, and 8.9 DMI units (g/day/kg0.75) respectively. Within seasons, DMI was best predicted by regressions with detergent fibre content and here the RSD had a range of 3.4 to 5.2 DMI units. Within species over all seasons, DMI was predicted best by regressions with WSC content and the RSD had a range of 5.7 to 7.9 DMI units. The usefulness of the chemical composition measurements in explaining the reason for the low intakes, previously found with winter pasture, is discussed.


1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Ulyatt ◽  
A. R. Egan

SUMMARYThe extents and sites of digestion of organic matter (OM), and its constituent watersoluble carbohydrates, organic acids, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose and crude protein have been studied in sheep prepared with re-entrant duodenal cannulas and fed four fresh herbage diets, Ruanui perennial ryegrass, Tama Westerwolds ryegrass, Pitau white clover and Fakir sainfoin, at each of two levels of intake.The water-soluble carbohydrate, organic acids and pectin of all diets were almost completely digested within the rumen. Some 10% of water soluble carbohydrate reached the duodenum on each diet, though this may not have been of dietary origin. Only on legume diets, where pectin concentration was higher, did measurable amounts of pectin reach the intestine, accounting for some 5% of the pectin.Hemicellulose and cellulose digestibilities differed between diets, being lowest for sainfoin, and next lowest for clover. Between 79 and 94% of digestible hemicellulose was digested in the stomach, but diet and intake had no significant effect on this partition. Of the digestible cellulose, 87–97% was digested in the stomach.Digestibility of N was lowest for sainfoin and highest for Tama ryegrass. There were no significant differences between herbage species or intake in the percentage of digested N digested in the stomach or intestines. The tannin contained in sainfoin had no effect on nitrogen digestion.Data from this and other studies reported in the literature were examined as a basis for establishing prediction equations whereby the partition of digestion of the major carbohydrate and nitrogenous constituents in stomach and intestines might be estimated from data obtainable from standard digestibility trials. Regressions were developed for predicting the amounts of OM, cellulose, and hemicellulose digested in the stomach. There are not yet enough suitable data available to predict the amount of nitrogen entering the small intestine.


1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. V. O'DOHERTY ◽  
P. NOWAKOWSKI ◽  
T. F. CROSBY

First-harvest, precision-chopped Lolium perenne grass with a dry matter (DM) content of 132·0 g/kg and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and crude protein (CP) contents of 24 g/kg and 106 g/kg DM, respectively, was ensiled in farm scale silos following the addition of formic acid (FA) (2·5 l/t) or molassed sugarbeet pulp (MSBP) (50 kg/t). Mature twin-bearing ewes (n=56) were allocated to one of seven treatments and offered either FA-treated silage or MSBP silage ad libitum. The trial commenced on day 91 of pregnancy, when the ewes were offered FA-treated silage (T1), FA-treated silage+soyabean meal (T2), MSBP silage (T3), MSBP silage+soyabean meal (T4), FA-treated silage+MSBP (T5), FA-treated silage+MSBP+soyabean meal (T6) or FA-treated silage+a barley-based supplement (150 g CP per kg DM) (T7, control). Soyabean meal supplementation was only offered in the last 3 weeks of pregnancy, with the objective of achieving a total CP intake of 220 g/ewe per day. Compared with the FA-treated silage, the MSBP silage had a higher nitrogen content (P<0·01) and a lower neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content, but the two silages did not differ in DM, acid detergent fibre (ADF) or gross energy contents. Silage DM intakes (SDMI) were higher on the MSBP silage-based diets (T3, T4) than for any other treatment (P<0·05). The addition of soyabean meal significantly increased SDMI in T2 in the last week of pregnancy (P<0·05), but there was no response in SDMI to soyabean meal supplementation in any of the other treatments. Ewe liveweight changes (kg) of −0·4, 4·1, 7·8, 10·2, 7·1, 9·6 and 10·8 (S.E.±1·2), body condition score changes of −0·96, −0·59, −0·42, −0·33, −0·37, +0·01 and −0·27 (S.E.±0·1) and total lamb birth weights (kg) of 8·0, 8·7, 9·2, 9·9, 8·6, 8·0 and 10·4 (S.E.±0·5) were recorded for ewes in T1 to T7 respectively.


1978 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Wilman ◽  
P. T. Wright

SUMMARYThe regrowth of Aberystwyth S. 22 Italian ryegrass, S. 24 perennial ryegrass and S. 37 cocksfoot was studied in field swards with and without applied nitrogen during the 21 days following a cut or grazing, there being a total of five periods of study at different tunes of year and in different years.The proportion of cell content in the harvested herbage, as measured by neutral detergent, increased by nearly 9 percentage units from day 3 to day 18 of regrowth. The proportion of cell content as measured by acid pepsin also increased during regrowth, but to a lesser extent. The proportion of cell content in leaf blades of two age categories, as measured by neutral detergent, also increased during regrowth. The above increases in proportion of cell content were found in all three grasses. The increases were associated with increases in the proportion of crude protein in dry matter, which were only partially offset by reductions in the proportion of water-soluble carbohydrate. The broad pattern of change in N and nitrate-N content of Italian ryegrass herbage during regrowth in spring with different amounts of N applied, noted in earlier experiments, was confirmed and found to apply to perennial ryegrass and cocksfoot also. During a September-October period of study there was little sign of decline in nitrate-N content within the 21 days where N had been applied. Younger leaf blades had a rather lower nitrate-N content and a slightly higher total N content, on average, than, older blades. The application of N increased the proportion of crude protein more than it reduced the proportion of water-soluble carbohydrate and it increased the proportion of cell content. The increase in proportion of cell content was sufficient to explain the positive effect of N application on digestibility. The average proportion of total herbage N which was found in the cell wall fraction was about 12%.There appeared to be a relationship between chemical composition and dry-matter content. The chlorophyll content of leaf blades increased during regrowth and was increased by N application. The experimental results on balance, particularly those for proportion of cell content, suggest an improvement in nutritive value of grass during regrowth up to about 3 weeks in contrast to the well-recognized decline in nutritive value where regrowth proceeds beyond about 3 weeks.


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