Thermogravimetric evaluation of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) for the prediction of in vitro dry matter digestibility

Hill country pasture was sprayed with low fates of the herbicides paraquat, sethoxydim or Dowco 453 in late November. Legume content of the pasture 6 weeks after application increased from 29 to 61%, and from 12 to 31% in January 1983 and 1984 respectively. The chemicals reduced dry matter yields by 16 and 45%, 6 weeks after treatment, but yields were not reduced in subsequent harvests. The chemicals reduced dead matter content, strongly suppressed grass seed head production, increased clover seed head density and increased in vitro digestibility. Sethoxydim at high rates 150 g/ha reduced perennial ryegrass (Lo/km perenne) content, but Dowco 453 increased perennial ryegrass and decreased browntop (Agrosfis tenuis) content. The effect of clover content and dead matter on sheep diet selection is shown and the implications of these results for management of hill country pastures in moist si;m.mers are discussed. Keywords: herbicide, paraquat, sethoxydim, Dowco 453, white clover, Trifolium repens, hill country, in vitro digestibility, perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne ryegrass, Lolium perenne browntop, Agrostis tenuis.

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Effect of a harvest time and cultivar on the chemical composition and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Journal of Elementology ◽

10.5601/jelem.2015.20.4.1039 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Maja Fijałkowska ◽

Jadwiga Wierzbowska ◽

Cezary Purwin ◽

Krzysztof Lipiński ◽

Anna Nogalska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Harvest Time ◽

Lolium Perenne L

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Comparison of herbage yield, nutritive value and ensilability traits of three ryegrass species evaluated for the Irish Recommended List

Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research ◽

10.1515/ijafr-2015-0003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 31-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. A. Burns ◽

P. O’Kiely ◽

D. Grogan ◽

S. Watson ◽

T. J. Gilliland

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Italian Ryegrass ◽

Soluble Carbohydrate ◽

Dry Matter Digestibility ◽

Water Soluble Carbohydrate

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.

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Effect of land preparation and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and quality of temperate species introduced into a tropical grass sward during autumn

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9820088 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 22 (115) ◽

pp. 88

Author(s):

IK Goodchild ◽

PN Thurbon ◽

R Sibbick ◽

R Shepherd

Keyword(s):

Lolium Perenne ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Lolium Multiflorum ◽

Trifolium Subterraneum ◽

Land Preparation ◽

Dry Matter Digestibility ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Grass Sward

Five temperate pasture species (Trifolium repens cv. Ladino, Trifolium subterraneum cv. Mt Barker, Lolium multiflorum cv. Tama, Lolium perenne cv. Kangaroo Valley, and (Lolium perenne x L. multiflorum cv. Ariki) were compared singly and in combination for their winter production when introduced into an existing couch and pangola mixed pasture grown under irrigation in tropical Queensland. The effects of preparing a cultivated seedbed and applying 50 kg N/ha.month on dry matter (DM) yield and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were studied. Nitrogen fertilizer increased the DM yields of all pasture types, (P < 0.05), but with a lesser effect on clovers and mixtures of clover and ryegrass than on ryegrass. Average DM yields for winter (April to September) were 5740, 3665 and 5238 kg/ha for nitrogen-fertilized clovers, ryegrasses, and clover and ryegrass mixtures, respectively. Corresponding DM yields without nitrogen were 4852, 874 and 4532 kg/ha, respectively. Clovers, and clover and ryegrass mixtures maintained a higher IVDMD than did the ryegrasses. Cultivation assisted early establishment of temperate pastures, though satisfactory pastures were also established after slashing and burning of the original couch and pangola mixed pasture. DM yields were higher for clover, and clover and ryegrass mixtures. Ryegrass did not persist without N fertilizer. It was concluded that clovers, ryegrasses, and clover and ryegrass mixtures could be introduced annually into existing couch and pangola mixed pastures to provide winter forage in a tropical environment.

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Dry matter intake and nutrient selection by lactating cows grazing irrigated pastures at different pasture allowances in summer and autumn

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea98043 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 451 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

W. J. Wales ◽

P. T. Doyle ◽

D. W. Dellow

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fibre Content ◽

Lactating Cows ◽

Dry Matter Digestibility ◽

Herbage Intake ◽

Selection For

Summary. Three experiments investigating the effects of herbage allowance on the consumption of nutrients by lactating cows were conducted on irrigated perennial pastures in northern Victoria during summer and autumn. Experiment 1 was conducted in mid lactation (autumn–early winter) with perennial ryegrass [54% of dry matter (DM)]–white clover (22% of DM) pasture offered at allowances of 15, 20, 30 and 40 kg DM/cow.day. Herbage intake increased (P<0.001) from 8.0 to 14.6 kg DM/cow.day as allowance increased and this was associated with a decrease (P<0.001) in utilisation from 54 to 37%. The cows consistently selected a diet 11% higher in in vitro dry matter digestibility than that in the pasture on offer, but selection for crude protein increased (P<0.001) from 21 to 41% above that in herbage on offer as herbage allowance increased. Neutral detergent fibre content of the diet selected was lower (P<0.001) than that in herbage on offer. Along with these changes, milk production increased (P<0.001) from 9.0 to 15.5 kg/day as herbage allowance increased at a marginal response of 0.99 kg milk/kg extra DM consumed. Experiments 2 and 3 were conducted in mid lactation (summer) on pasture containing 28% paspalum, 26% weeds, 17% perennial ryegrass or 36% paspalum, 19% weeds and 24% ryegrass respectively. Pasture allowances were between 20 and 70 kg DM/cow.day. Herbage intake increased (P<0.001) from about 8 to 17 kg DM/cow.day as allowance increased in both experiments and was accompanied by a decrease (P<0.001) in utilisation from about 40 to less than 25%. In experiment 2, the cows consistently selected a diet with a similar in vitro dry matter digestibility to that of the herbage pregrazing, regardless of allowance, but selection for crude protein increased (P<0.05) from 25 to 45% above that in herbage on offer, as allowance increased. In experiment 3, the diet selected was 13% greater (P<0.001) in in vitro dry matter digestibility and 42% greater (P<0.001) in crude protein than the herbage on offer. Neutral detergent fibre content of the diet selected was lower (P<0.001) than that in herbage on offer in experiment 3, while the difference was small in experiment 2. Along with these changes, milk production increased (P<0.001) (in experiment 2, 12.3–15.0 kg/cow.day; experiment 3, 10.0–15.8 kg/cow.day) as herbage allowance increased, but the marginal responses were lower (0.28 kg milk/kg extra DM consumed in experiment 2, 0.64 kg milk/kg extra DM consumed in experiment 3) than observed in experiment 1 reflecting the differences in pasture quality.

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The role of silicon in forages: A quantitative X-Ray study

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100126871 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 416-417

Author(s):

Janet H. Woodward ◽

D. E. Akin

Keyword(s):

Sodium Acetate ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Acetate Buffer ◽

Plant Tissues ◽

Sodium Acetate Buffer ◽

X Ray ◽

Dry Matter Digestibility ◽

Percent Composition

Silicon (Si) is distributed throughout plant tissues, but its role in forages has not been clarified. Although Si has been suggested as an antiquality factor which limits the digestibility of structural carbohydrates, other research indicates that its presence in plants does not affect digestibility. We employed x-ray microanalysis to evaluate Si as an antiquality factor at specific sites of two cultivars of bermuda grass (Cynodon dactvlon (L.) Pers.). “Coastal” and “Tifton-78” were chosen for this study because previous work in our lab has shown that, although these two grasses are similar ultrastructurally, they differ in in vitro dry matter digestibility and in percent composition of Si.Two millimeter leaf sections of Tifton-7 8 (Tift-7 8) and Coastal (CBG) were incubated for 72 hr in 2.5% (w/v) cellulase in 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 5.0. For controls, sections were incubated in the sodium acetate buffer or were not treated.

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