Abstract

Summary The relationship of the methoxyl content of forage and of feces to the digestibility and to the content of crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract and nitrogen-free extract has been studied at three different growth stages of pasture herbage. The relationship of the lignin to the methoxyl content and to the contents of the proximate constituents of the plant also have been studied. The digestibility of forage dry matter was correlated negatively with the amount of lignin (−0.989) and of methoxyl (−0.991) in the forage consumed. A highly significant negative correlation (−0.974) also existed between the methoxyl content of the feces and the digestible dry matter content of the forage. The correlation (0.425) between the lignin content of the feces and amount of digestible dry matter in the forage consumed was not significant. The crude protein content of the feces also was correlated very highly with the digestible dry matter content of the forage (0.962). This study indicates that the methoxyl content of forages and/or feces may prove, with further study, to be equal or superior to the lignin content as an index of the digestibility of forages. If this should prove to be valid for all forages, the analytical task would be simplified because the procedure for the determination of methoxyl is simpler than that for lignin. In addition, when methoxyl is determined, a distinct chemical radical is measured. This is not true in the determination of lignin by present methods.

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