scholarly journals Some persistent misconceptions concerning the crude fibre and the nitrogen-free extract

1953 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-22
Author(s):  
Lauri Paloheimo

By the usual Weende method the vegetable membrane substances are divided most arbitrarily into two groups, crude fibre and nitrogen-free extract. The bulk of lignin falls in the latter fraction which also contains the valuable cell enclosure carbohydrates, sugars and starch. Many misconceptions even amone eminent scientists still prevail concerning the crude fibre and the N-free extract. It is too often forgotten that N-free extract also contains lignin, and that in some cases crude fibre is a more valuable food fraction than the N-free extract. However, the per cent figure of crude fibre, especially when calculated of the dry matter, is a useful criterion in estimating the value of foods. N-free extract, on the other hand, is only a misleading concept and should be omitted. It would, be best to leave it out also from the food tables.

1951 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Bunting ◽  
G. E. Blackman

Between 1942 and 1950, some thirty field experiments have been carried out in the southern half of England to assess the potential value, either for grain or forage production, of seventeen openpollinated flint or dent maizes together with twentynine single or double hybrids of American or Canadian origin.Early-maturing flint varieties will consistently ripen grain, but before mechanical threshing or storage, the cobs require drying. Sibthorp, a mass selection made from an unknown German variety, is the earliest and most productive flint maize so far tested, and in the experiments has yielded as much as 39 cwt. of grain per acre with an average of 24 cwt. The earliest American hybrids, i.e. those with a U.S.A. rating of 80 days from sowing to maturity, give very high yields of grain in favourable seasons. Within the group Wisconsin 240–275, a yield level equal to or exceeding 50 cwt./acre has on occasion been recorded. On the other hand, in the most unfavourable years, such hybrids just failed to produce ripe cobs.Attempts to maintain sixty-five parent inlines of the earliest hybrids have largely failed. However, many of the parent single crosses have matured, and the production on a field scale of the double-cross seed of both Wisconsin 240 and 255 has been carried out.Spacing experiments indicate that for optimum grain production a density of 6 plants/sq.yd. is required for both flint varieties and the earliest hybrids. A spatial arrangement of individual plants is to be preferred to that of groups or hills.American hybrids, in the class of ‘90 days’ to maturity, will in all but the most unfavourable seasons reach the ‘early-dent’ stage of the grain before the incidence of autumn frosts. Yields of dry matter of plants harvested in this phase have ranged from 30 to 85 cwt. of dry matter per acre. In these trials, the plant density was standardized at 4 plants/sq.yd. and higher densities may be demanded for optimal yields.The ratio of the ‘ear’ (that is, the cob, immature grain and enclosing leaf sheaths) to the total shoot weight at harvest varies greatly with the variety or hybrid. With White Horsetooth, the usual variety grown for fodder in England, no cobs are formed before the plants are killed by frost, while with the early hybrids, the ear may be half the weight of the whole shoot.The earliest variety Sibthorp from an early May sowing takes approximately 70–80 days to reach full anthesis, while ‘80-day’ American hybrids are a week later. From sowing to full maturity the period in England is from 140 to 160 days, thus compared to conditions in Minnesota the period is nearly twice as long. Because of the much slower rate of development and because of the humidity of English autumns, it is concluded that until the date of maturity can be advanced some 14 days, grain production on a field scale is not yet feasible. On the other hand, many of the American hybrids are well fitted to the production of silage. The greatest drawback to the introduction of such hybrids is the liability of the seed and seedlings to be attacked by rooks.


1959 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. C. Jones

1. Four varieties of marrow stem kale, three of thousand headed kales, Hungry Gap Kale and Rape-Kale were grown at three centres in mid-Wales. They were sampled in the early winter period and separate leaf and stem samples analysed for the proximate constituents and minerals.2. Leaf to stem ratios were measured on both a green and dry matter basis and the latter values used to calculate whole plant values for the chemical constituents.3. The leaves of the marrow stem kales were higher in dry matter than the stems, except in the case of the Purple Stem Kale. This variety resembled the thousand headed and rape-type kales in having a higher dry matter in the stems. On a dry matter basis, the leaves of all the varieties were richer than the stems in ether extract, crude protein, total ash and all the minerals except potassium and sodium. These elements occurred to a greater extent in the stems of the fleshy stemmed marrow stem kales than in the leaves. The stems were higher in crude fibre and nitrogen-free extractives.4. The leaves of the rape-type kales were higher than those of the other varieties in silica, phosphorus and potassium. They were the best source of phosphorus on a whole plant basis. The marrow stem kales had considerably higher leaf and stem values for sodium and were markedly superior to the other varieties as a source of the element.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66
Author(s):  
I. O. A. Adeleye ◽  
U. J. Ikhatua

Twelve ram lambs of the West African Forest type of between 15.7 and 24.6 kg were divided into four groups of 3 animals each. A group was assigned to one of four diets consisting of the following concentrate: grass hay ratios - 20 : 80 (A), 40 : 60 (B), 60 : 40 (C) and 80 : 20 (D). Feed intake, nutrient digestibilities and efficiency of feed utilization were measured. As the level of concentrate increased, the contents of crude protein ether extract, nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and gross energy of the diets increased, while the crude fibre and ash contents decreased almost linearly. Voluntary feed intake increased with increasing levels of concentrate, with diet C having a significantly higher (P 0.01) Relative Intake (RI) value than the other diets. Both the Nutritive Value Index (NVI) and Digestible Energy (DE) intake values were significantly higher (P. 0.01) in diets C and D than the other diets. Generally, the digestion coefficients for the gross energy, crude protein, crude fibre and nitrogen free extract increased with increasing levels of concentrate, the values being significantly higher (P 0.01) in diets C and D, while diet A showed a significantly lower (P 0.05) dry matter digestion coefficient value when compared with either diets. Although a similar trend was observed in the digestion coefficient for ether extract, the differences were not significant (P 0.05). With the exception of animals on diet C which had the highest daily weight gains, average daily weight gains and efficiency of feed utilization increased with successive substitution of concentrate for grass hay.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-142
Author(s):  
T. T. Akpensuen ◽  
J. T. Amodu ◽  
R. J. Tanko ◽  
S. B. Abdu ◽  
O. A. T. Namo ◽  
...  

An experiment was carried out to evaluate two temperate forage legumes (Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens) and two tropical forage legumes (Stylosanthes guianensis and Centrosema molle) for hay intake and digestibility in the cool tropical climate of Vom, Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria. The legumes were planted in the month of June, 2016 and harvested at early-podding stage for hay. Sixteen (16) growing male New Zealand White rabbits were used for the digestibility study. The rabbits were arranged in a Completely Randomised Design and in individual cages measuring 55 cm x 39 cm x 40 cm. Nutrient contents, intake and digestibility in rabbits were determined. Crude protein content was significantly (P<0.01) higher in T. repens (18.38%) compared to T. pratense (16.50 %), whereas S. guianensis produced the least value of 13.83%. The crude fibre content of the hay was significantly higher (P<0.0I) in S. guianensis (37.29 %) compared to the other forage legumes. Dry matter intake was significantly (P<0.01) higher in rabbits fed T. repens (77.88%) compared to T. pratense (76.57%), and the lowest value of 62.97% was obtained in S. guianensis. Crude protein intake was significantly (P<0.01) higher in rabbits fed T. repens (15.05 g d-1) compared to those fed T. pratense (12.71 g d-1), but S. guianensis had the least value of 8.64 g d-1. On the other hand, rabbits fed S. guianensis hay had a higher (P<0.01) crude fibre intake (23.39%). Trifolium repens was significantly (P<0.01) higher in dry matter and crude protein digestibility (64.79 and 85. 88 %), while S. guianensis had lower values of 56.89 and 71.33%, respectively. Trifolium repens also had a significantly (P<0.01) higher total nitrogen intake and retained compared to the other forage legumes. Nitrogen retained in T. repens was 2.40 g d-1 compared to 1.87 g d-1 in T. pretense, while S. guianensis had the lowest of 1.34 g d-1. The temperate forage legume hays were higher in nutrient content, intake and digestibility compared to the tropical legume hays. Therefore, the forage crops may serve as better supplementary feeds for livestock feeding especially during the dry season.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-191
Author(s):  
V. A. Oyenuga ◽  
B. L. Fetuga

The proximate and mineral constituents of six plantain forms, raw green plantain (RGP), cooked green plantain (CGP), raw ripe plantain (RRP), cooked ripe plantain (CRP), green plantain meal (GPM) and ripe plantain meal (RPM) were determined by chemical analysis. 24 large white barrows, weighing initially, between 40-45 kg., were used to study the apparent digestibility of nutrients, digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen retention (ME(n) and total digestible nutrients when the plantains served as the only source of nutrients. In a second experiment ME and ME(n) were measured for the plantain forms using 28 Large White barrows, with diets in which the plantains replaced 50% of maize in a basal diet. All the plantain forms had low fat, crude fibre and crude protein content but high in nitrogen-free extract, phosphorus, potassium and Iron. Identically high dry matter (D.M.) and nitrogen-free extract (N.F.E.) digestion coefficients were obtained for all the plantain forms except RPM, which had significantly lower values. Digestion coefficients for crude protein (46.9, 53.6, 51.8, 34.3,-32.7 %), crude fibre, (46.6, 49.5, 58.7, 62.6, 56.9, 39.6 %), ether extract (55.9, 56.6, 66.9, 69.2, 54.7 and 34.6 %) for RGP, CGP, RRP, CRP, GPM and RPM respectively were considerably lower than for D.M. and N.F.E. The DE, ME ME(n) and TDN values were comparable for all plantain forms except RPM, which had significantly lower values in most cases. The fresh green plantains and green plantain meals had slightly higher energy values than the ripe plantains, even though the nutrients in the ripe plantains were better digested than in the green forms. The results are discussed in relation to variations in the relative proportions of the simple and more complex carbohydrates during ripening.


1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Milford

For each four subtropical grasses there is a significant correlation between daily dry matter intake and total nitrogen in faeces per day. The data have been tested for homogeneity under two hypotheses. In the first a test of the difference in slope between the four regression lines showed that they were not statistically different. It was shown that for a common mean value for total faecal nitrogen, the calculated mean daily dry matter intakes of Paspalum commersonii Lam., Urochloa pullulans Stapf, and Chloris gayana Kunth were similar and the relationship for these three could be expressed by one regression line. However, the calculated mean daily dry matter intake for Panicum maximum var. trichoglume (K. Schum.) Eyles was significantly different from those for the other three grasses and P. maximum var. trichoglume cannot be included in a general regression. In the second hypothesis it was shown that all regression lines could pass through the origin. However, as in the first hypothesis, P. commersonii, U. pullulans, and C. gayana could be represented by a common regression line whllst the regression line for P. maximum differed significantly in slope from those of the other three grasses. The results indicate that species can be grouped for this relationship, and that it could be used to measure intake of the free grazing animal on monospecific swards or on mixed swards of species with similar relationships. Lancaster's technique for determining digestibility is discussed in the light of these relationships. Neither percentage faecal nitrogen nor faecal crude fibre was found to be satisfactorily correlated with dry matter digestibility.


1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (36) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Romberg ◽  
GR Pearce ◽  
DE Tribe

A phalaris-dominant pasture received three treatments: no spray, sprayed with paraquat herbicide at early head emergence (spray 1) and at 50 per cent flowering (spray 2). A series of digestibility trials from November 1966 to March 1967 measured the voluntary intakes by sheep, and the nutrient digestibilities of the material resulting from each treatment. The level of crude protein in the sprayed pasture remained higher throughout the summer than in the unsprayed pasture. However, digestibility of crude protein was only higher for sprayed treatments during January 1967. Spraying did not significantly affect intakes or dry matter and crude fibre digestibilities throughout the period. Sheep receiving spray 2 pasture lost more weight than those receiving pasture from the other two treatments.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. T. Amodu ◽  
T. T. Akpensuen ◽  
D. D. Dung ◽  
R. J. Tanko ◽  
A. Musa ◽  
...  

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the yield of forage, silage and nutrients composition of two maize accessions: West Atlantic Seed Alliance 1 (WASA1) and an accession from Shika tagged (SHIMAZ). The maize seeds were planted in plots of 5 m x 5 m (25 m2) size with four replicates for each accession. The results showed that, there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference between the accessions for plant height and number of leaves at 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks after sowing (WAS), but leaf area index (LAI) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in SHIMAZ accession at 6 and 10 WAS. The number of leaves per plant, green leaves, leaf area and forage yield at 91, 105 and 119 days after sowing (DAS) were not significant (P > 0.05) in the two accessions of maize, but leaf area and LAI were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in WASA1 accession.. The percentage dry-matter (DM) content was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in WASA1, although leaf, and stem ratios were significantly (P < 0.01) higher at various stages of harvest. The crude protein (CP) and nitrogen free-extract (NFE) were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in WASA1 accession while crude fibre (CF) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in SHIMAZ. The proximate components (ash, EE and CP) and NDF were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in WASA1 silage, but NFE and ADF were higher (P < 0.05) in SHIMAZ accession.


1962 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Dodsworth ◽  
C. Ball

Results are given from two digestibility trials in which the following three diets were fed to sheep: (i) grass only, (ii) grass+5 oz. cotton cake daily, (iii) grass+10 oz. cotton cake daily.In the first trial the average dry-matter content of the grass was low (approx. 14%), intake was low and the supplements were eaten in addition to the grass. In the second trial where the dry-matter content (approx. 20%) of the grass and the intake were higher, the cake supplements reduced herbage consumption.The feeding of cake did not have any significant effect on the dry-matter percentage in the faeces but depressed the digestibility of the dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre and nitrogen-free extract in the diets including cake and reduced their starch equivalent and total digestible nutrient values.No evidence was found to support the recommendation that undecorti-cated cotton cake should be fed to grazing animals.


1957 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Glover ◽  
M. H. French

The role of crude fibre in modifying the general equation relating the digestibility coefficient of crude protein to the percentage of crude protein in the dry matter of a feed is described.It is shown that for normal average food-stuffs the effect is slight and that for all practical routine purposes the original equation will provide satisfactory estimates of the digestibility coefficient when only the crude-protein content of the dry feed is known.On the other hand, when exceptional feeds are encountered, particularly those in which the crudefibre/crude-protein relationship is abnormal, then more accurate estimates of the digestibility coefficient of crude protein can be obtained from the modified equation which is described above.


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