Abstract
As forage maize matures major changes occur in the proportions and nature of the carbohydrate fractions present and an assessment of these is important. This study used an automated in vitro gas production (GP) technique with samples of both whole maize silage (WMS) and isolated cell walls (as neutral detergent fibre; NDF) of maize silages (cv. Hudson) harvested at four increasing stages of maturity (dry matter contents 228, 273, 304 and 372 g kg −1). This provided an estimate of the fermentation characteristics of the NDF and by difference (WMS − NDF), the neutral detergent solubles (NDS). The conventional approach of incubating WMS resulted in small differences in GP values which were not related to the changes in the principal carbohydrate fractions. However, incubating the NDF fractions separately and calculating the NDS values produced strong relationships between the changes in the starch and cell wall contents and the gas asymptote values for the NDS ( r=0.72) and NDF ( r=0.83) fractions, respectively. The gas asymptote values for the NDF fraction were also highly correlated ( r=0.98) with NDF degradability of the WMS. The use of this approach in nutrition models needs consideration.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
