Effect of variety and maturity stage on chemical composition, carbohydrate and protein subfractions, in vitro rumen degradability and energy values of timothy and alfalfa

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Yu ◽  
D. A. Christensen ◽  
J. J. McKinnon ◽  
J. D. Markert

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of forage variety and stage of maturity on chemical composition, protein and carbohydrate subfractions, in vitro rumen degradability and energy content under the climatic conditions of western Canada. Two varieties of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cvs. Pioneer and Beaver) and timothy (Phleum pratense L. cvs. Climax and Joliette), grown at three locations in Saskatchewan (Canada), were cut at three stages [1 = 1 wk before commercial cut (early bud for alfalfa; joint for timothy); 2 = at commercial cut (late bud for alfalfa; pre-bloom head for timothy); and 3 = one week after commercial cut (early bloom for alfalfa; full head for timothy)]. The results showed that: (1) the varieties had minimal effects on nutritional value; however, (2) stage of cutting had a large impact on chemical composition, protein and carbohydrate fractions, in vitro rumen degradability and energy value. As plant maturity advanced from stage 1 to 3, the following changes were noticed: (a) CP was decreased [alfalfa: 20.2 to 17.6; timothy: 11.1 to 7.9% dry matter (DM)]; fibre was affected very little in alfalfa but increased in timothy [acid detergent fibre (ADF): 38.0 to 40.7; neutral detergent fibre (NDF): 68.7 to 72.8% DM]; lignin and neutral detergent insoluble protein (NDIP) were not affected in either forage; acid detergent insoluble protein (ADIP) was increased in alfalfa (3.5 to 17.1% CP), but no effect was seen in timothy; (b) the rapidly degradable protein fraction (PA) was reduced in alfalfa (51.2 to 34.8% CP) but increased in timothy (9.2 to 27.5% CP); the rapidly degradable fraction (PB1) increased in alfalfa (0.0 to 25.2% CP), but decreased in timothy (31.6 to 16.7%); the intermediate degradable fraction (PB2) decreased in both forages (alfalfa: 14.1 to 5.2; timothy: 37.8 to 29.4% CP); the slowly degradable fraction (PB3) declined in alfalfa (33.1 to 17.7% CP), but was not affected in timothy (averaging 21.3% CP); the unavailable fraction (PC) associated with the cell wall increased in alfalfa (3.5 to 17.1% CP), but did not change in timothy (averaging 5.2% CP); (c) in vitro rumen degradabilities of DM (IVDMD) and NDF (IVNDFD) increased at stage 2 and then declined at stage 3. The highest IVDMD and IVNDFD after a 48-h incubation were at cutting stage 2 (50.5 and 37.3%; 42.8 and 37.3% for alfalfa and timothy, respectively); (d) the energy content behaved in a quadratic fashion; it increased initially and then decreased with the highest energy contents at stage 2 for both forages (TDN1x, DE1x, DEp, MEp, NELp: 63.8% DM, 2.92, 2.68, 2.26, 1.40 Mcal kg-1 DM for alfalfa; 45.3% DM, 2.03, 1.86, 1.43, 0.82 Mcal kg-1 DM for timothy, respectively). In general, the best cutting was found at stage 2, which was late-bud for alfalfa varieties and pre-bloom head for timothy. Key words: Alfalfa, timothy, variety, maturity, nutritive value


2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ayaşan ◽  
E. Sucu ◽  
I. Ülger ◽  
H. Hızlı ◽  
P. Cubukcu ◽  
...  

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.), or chufa, is a plant that is found in nature and is cultivated for its edible tubers. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, nutritive value, and in vitro digestibility of three tiger nut varieties using the in vitro gas production technique. These varieties were Sarışeker (yellow), Introduction 1, and Balyumru (brown). Rumen fluid was obtained from two cannulated Holstein animals. Time-dependent in vitro gas production was monitored at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of incubation. The varieties differed in dry matter (DM), crude ash (CA), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) content (P <0.05). They also differed in the instantaneous volume of gas produced and in time-dependent gas production. Balyumru produced more gas at the onset of incubation than Introduction 1 and Sarışeker. However, over time, the gas produced by digestion of Introduction 1 exceeded the other two varieties. The amounts of gas produced at each time-point were intercorrelated. It is recommended that these results should lead to further evaluation in in vivo studies. Keywords: chemical composition, energy content, in vitro gas production



2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 96-103
Author(s):  
S. M. Odeyinka ◽  
A. A. Ademosun

Four plots of Gliricidia and two plots of Leucuena were harvested at three monthly intervals to monitor dry matter yield, chemical composition and in vitro organic matter digestibility. The plants had been established (Gliricidia from stakes, Leucaena from seeds) and were spaced 1m apart on rows and 1m between rows. Each plot size was 6m x 6m.  There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the dry matter yield of the two browse species. Season did not have significant (P>0.05) effect on the dry matter yield of Leucaena but had on that of Gliricidia (P<0.01). The early dry harvest produced the lowest yield for both Gliricidia and Leucaena and these were significantly lower than the yield from other harvests.  Season had significant effect (P<0.01) on the chemical composition of Leucaena except on the percent Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) and lignin but season had no effect on the organic matter digestibilities of the two browse species: Leucaena was higher in nutritive value than Gliricidia.



Author(s):  
E. S. Jara Galeano ◽  
C. M. Costa ◽  
M. A. P. Orrico Junior ◽  
T. Fernandes ◽  
M. Retore ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different intercropping and spacing arrangements of corn (Zea mays L) and crotalaria (Crotalaria spp) on the agronomic characteristics, chemical composition and forage digestibility. The experiment was distributed in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme. The treatments were two cultivation systems (corn + Crotalaria juncea (CCJ) intercropping, and corn + Crotalaria ochroleuca (CCO) intercropping), in two spacing arrangements (A1 (corn and crotalaria sown in the same row) and A2 (corn and crotalaria sown in alternate rows)) plus control (single corn monocropping (CSC)), with six replicates per treatment, for 2 years. Forage plants were harvested when the corn grain reached the doughy-farinaceous phenological stage. Forage mass (total and of each species), morphological composition, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility were evaluated. The forage accumulation was higher for the A1 spatial arrangement. In the second year, the highest total forage mass was verified in the CCO intercropping (11 140 kg/ha). The highest corn mass (9402 kg/ha) was observed for CSC. The highest crotalaria mass was observed in the CCJ intercropping in both years. Regarding the chemical composition, CCJ and CCO intercropping had the highest crude protein concentration. The lowest acid detergent fibre concentration was observed in CSC and CCO intercropping, directly reflecting the in vitro dry matter digestibility coefficients. It is concluded that C. ochroleuca, sown between corn rows, had higher forage accumulation and nutritive value among the treatments tested in this experiment.



2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Vileta ◽  
M. Grosso ◽  
M. Fondevila

Chemical composition, in vitro fermentation and in situ degradability of the native South American legumes Adesmia bicolor and A. macrostachya were studied at vegetative (VG), flowering (FW) and seeding (SD) stages, and compared with those of alfalfa at 10% flowering (AL) in two separate studies. In A. bicolor, crude protein (CP) content was highest for FW, and FW and SD showed higher values than did AL (P < 0.05). At all stages, A. bicolor showed a lower content of neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre than did AL (P < 0.05). The maximum gas production (Coefficient b) was highest for FW, and no differences were recorded between SD and AL, the lowest value being for VG (P < 0.05). The effective dry matter degradability was higher for FW and VG than for SD and AL (P < 0.05), whereas effective CP degradability tended (P = 0.077) to be higher for FW than for the other stages of A. bicolor, but no differences between FW and AL were detected. A. macrostachya had lower CP content (P < 0.001), but its VG and FW stages also had lower proportions of neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin (P < 0.01) than did AL. Chemical and fermentation parameters were affected by maturity of A. macrostachya. The effective dry matter degradability was higher for VG and FW than for SD and AL (P < 0.001), but no differences were apparent on the effective CP degradability. A. bicolor showed a high nutritive value, which was even higher than that of AL, and the maturity stage of this species did not markedly affect its nutritive value, whereas the nutritive value of A. macrostachya reduced as it matured.



2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. e0602
Author(s):  
Somayeh Farzinmehr ◽  
Javad Rezaei ◽  
Hassan Fazaeli

Aim of study: To evaluate the effect of maturity stage and harvesting frequency of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) forage on the nutritional quality of the tubers and forages.Area of study: The plant cultivation and laboratory experiments were carried out in Karaj (Alborz, Iran) and Tehran (Tehran, Iran), respectively.Material and methods: Forages were harvested every 60, 90 and 120 days during the growing season (four, three and two harvests per year, respectively). Tubers were harvested just once, at the end of the growing season, from plots with four, three and two forage cuts per year. Biomass production, chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of the forages and tubers were assessed.Main results: Compared to 90 and 120 days, the forages harvested every 60 days contained the highest (p<0.05) yearly dry matter (DM) biomass (27.16 t/ha), crude protein (98.6 to 145 g/kg DM), organic matter digestibility (0.607 to 0.691) and microbial biomass production (350 to 369 g/kg DM). Compared to 60 and 90 days, harvesting JA forage every 120 days caused the tubers with the higher (p<0.05) water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), in vitro digestibility and DM yield (7.63 t/ha). Jerusalem artichoke forages and tubers contained the low phenolics (4.93 to 13.2 g/kg DM) and nitrate (1.12 to 3.19 g/kg DM). Overall, the best harvesting interval of JA forage to achieve tubers with the highest yearly yield, WSC and digestibility was every 120 days, while the highest nutritive value and yield of the forages were observed with harvesting JA every 60 days.Research highlights: The best harvesting interval of JA forage to obtain the highest yearly DM, protein and energy biomass from both tubers and forage was every 60 days.



Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1441
Author(s):  
Youssef Chebli ◽  
Samira El Otmani ◽  
Mouad Chentouf ◽  
Jean-Luc Hornick ◽  
Jean-François Cabaraux

Forest rangelands contribute largely to goat diets in the Mediterranean area. Information about browsed plant quality is essential for adequate feeding management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporal changes in chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of the main plant species selected by goats in the Southern Mediterranean forest rangeland during two consecutive years; these were very contrasted (dry and wet). The browsed species were composed of herbaceous, eleven shrubs, and four tree species. Overall, large variability in chemical composition, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and metabolizable energy (ME) was observed among species, grazing season (spring, summer, and autumn), and years within each species. Crude protein (CP) content varied from 60 to 240 g/kg dry matter (DM). The fiber fractions, except for Quercus suber, increased significantly by advancing maturity. Due to the water stress, the lignin level presented a higher value during the spring of the dry year. Condensed tannin (CT) content varied from 2 to 184 g/kg DM. CP, IVOMD, and ME showed a negative correlation with lignin and CT. Based on the results presented herein, it is concluded that the nutritive value of the browsed plant species was highest in the spring and lowest during the summer and autumn of both studied years. With a good grazing management strategy, the selected plant species by goats could guarantee high-quality feeding resources throughout the year.



2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Woolnough ◽  
William J. Foley

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to predict the nutritive value of forage species available to the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii). Nutritive attributes of the forage successfully estimated included total nitrogen concentration, fibre (including neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid lignin), organic matter, water soluble carbohydrates and in vitro dry matter digestibility. The reported results demonstrate the seasonal variability of the forage resource available to L. krefftii in its tropical savanna habitat. Multivariate modelling of the spectra enabled the nutritive value of forage samples to be estimated with coefficients of determination (r2) of 0.770–0.995 and standard errors of the cross-validation of 0.070–2.850 using a modified partial least-squares analysis technique. The standard error of the laboratory was 0.02–1.42. This study demonstrates that broad-based NIRS predictive equations can be used to predict the nutritive value of a number of plant types available to a herbivore over time. By using NIRS the analyst can rapidly analyse large numbers of samples with limited reduction of precision, thereby enabling large-scale ecological applications that may have previously been impeded by time and costs.



2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 406
Author(s):  
Alexandre M. Dias ◽  
Luís C. V. Ítavo ◽  
Júlio C. Damasceno ◽  
Camila C. B. F. Ítavo ◽  
Geraldo T. Santos ◽  
...  

Sugarcane is a source of roughage in animal feeding. It presents high production per unit of cultivated area, relatively easy cultivation and low cost of production per hectare, and better quality and a high dry matter (DM) yield in periods when forage is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) in sugarcane forage on chemical composition, in vitro digestibility values of DM, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), and kinetics of thermal decomposition processes of weight loss and heat flow. Sugarcane was collected close to the ground and 50-kg heaps of the fresh material were formed and mixed with four doses of Ca(OH)2 (0, 8, 16 and 24 g kg–1 sugarcane). Concentrations of NDF and ADF decreased linearly with increasing amount of Ca(OH)2, whereas concentration of hemicellulose increased linearly. In vitro digestibilities of DM, NDF and ADF were enhanced in a quadratic manner with increasing amounts of Ca(OH)2. The release of heat, measured by ΔH, increased linearly with increased Ca(OH)2 levels, likely due to enhanced digestibility of the fibre components. Weight loss decreased linearly between 272.2°C and 397.7°C with increased amounts of Ca(OH)2 added to sugarcane, likely due to changes in cellulose structure, which became denser and thermodynamically more stable than native cellulose following the alkaline treatment. Calcium hydroxide changed chemical composition and digestibility of the fibrous fraction of sugarcane, resulting in better nutritional value. The greatest release of heat and highest in vitro digestibility of fibre were observed when adding 15.2 g Ca(OH)2 kg–1 sugarcane; therefore, this dose is recommended to enhance the nutritive value of sugarcane as ruminant feed.



2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 89-89
Author(s):  
M. A. Akbar ◽  
P. Lebzien ◽  
G. Flachowsky

The fresh weight, dry matter (DM) contents and nutritional quality in maize vary considerably with variation in varieties, stages at which harvested, climatic conditions and agronomic factors. Recently, agronomists, nutritionists, and dairy producers have placed increased emphasis on factors affecting the nutritive value of maize. However, very little information is available on quantitative variability of the feed value of maize fodder as affected by such factors. This study was, therefore, carried out to assess the effect of harvesting of six different maize varieties at two stages (dates) of grain maturity on quality of both the stover and cobs.



2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 233-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Towhidi ◽  
Farnoush Rostami ◽  
Reza Masoumi

In Iran, Javan (2001) has reported the digestibility some arid rangelands plants by bovine rumen liquor. The determination of in vivo digestibility of wheat straw implies that camel apparently digested poor quality roughages more than cattle and sheep (Cianci et al., 2004). Therefore, It is required to measure the in vitro digestibility of herbages by camel rumen liquor. In province of yazd, nutritive value of 11 different plant species for camel were determined (Towhidi, 2007). The objectives of the current study were to determine 1) the chemical composition, gross energy of the most consuming plant species from rangeland of Semnan province including Seidlitzia rosmarinu, Tamarix tetragyna, Tamarix strica, Halostachys spp, Saudea fruticosa., Alhagi camelorum, Haloxylon ammondendron., Salsola arbescola, Hammada salicornica and, 2) in vitro digestibility of the plants by camel rumen liquor.



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