Acid Detergent Lignin Content Research Articles

Effect of acid detergent lignin concentration for diets formulated to be similar in NDF content on energy utilization in lactating Jersey cows

Lignin is a polyphenolic polymer that is an important factor in limiting fiber digestibility by ruminants. The objective of the current study was to evaluate lignin's impacts on whole animal energy utilization in diets similar in NDF content. A low lignin (LoLig) diet was formulated to contain 32.5% NDF (DM basis) and 9.59% lignin (NDF basis) and the high lignin (HiLig) diet was formulated to contain 31.0% NDF (DM basis) and 13.3% lignin (NDF basis). These diets were randomly assigned and fed to 12 late-lactation (214 ± 14.9 DIM) multiparous Jersey cows (435 ± 13.9 kg) in a 2-period crossover design. Cows fed the LoLig treatment consumed more DM than cows on the HiLig diet (19.9 vs. 18.7 ± 0.645 kg/d) while the LoLig diet was concurrently of a greater gross energy concentration (4.27 vs. 4.23 ± 0.03 Mcal/kg). As expected, increasing the concentration of lignin resulted in a reduction in total-tract NDF digestibility (45.5 vs. 40.4 ± 0.742%). Increasing lignin also resulted in a reduction in the digestibility of starch (97.7 vs. 96.3 ± 0.420) and CP (65.0 vs. 60.0 ± 0.829). Lignin also decreased the concentration of digestible energy (2.83 vs. 2.63 ± 0.04 Mcal/kg) and metabolizable energy (2.52 vs. 2.36 ± 0.05 Mcal/kg) but the concentration of net energy of lactation was similar (1.81 vs. 1.75 ± 0.06 Mcal/kg. Increasing the concentration of lignin also reduced yields of energy-corrected milk (33.7 vs. 30.0 ± 0.838 kg/d), milk protein (1.00 vs. 0.843 ± 0.027 kg/d), and milk fat (1.30 vs. 1.19 ± 0.058 kg/d). Decreasing the dietary lignin concentration did not affect daily methane emissions, averaging 391 ± 29.6 L/d. Results of this study indicate feeding a diet greater in lignin decreases the digestibility of nutrients and provides less energy for production responses and that energy supplied from digestible NDF may be less than predicted by some nutrition models.

Structural carbohydrate and lignin content of perennial cereal forage grasses depending on the growth phase and digital innovations in forage composition analysis

The article is devoted to the study of the content of cell wall carbohydrates – neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) – in cereal forage grasses depending on the growth phases. An increase in all cell wall fractions was revealed as the growth phases changed. The content of acid detergent fiber, neutral-detergent fiber and acid detergent lignin (% in dry matter) in cereal forage grasses (awnless brome, meadow fescue, meadow timothy) is 31‑32, 50‑55, 4‑6 before earing; in the earing phase – 32‑37, 55‑65, and 5‑6; in the flowering phase – 40‑45, 70‑72, 7‑9, respectively. As grasses grow, their composition changes with the accumulation of cell walls. The increase in the proportion of neutral detergent fiber occurs mainly due to an increase in the proportion of cellulose and a decrease in the proportion of hemicellulose, which is consistent with a higher digestibility of grasses in the early growth stages. According to the results of the study, the relationship between crude fiber and acid detergent fiber was closer (n = 64, s = 2.4%, r = 0.93) than between crude fiber and neutral detergent fiber (n = 64, s = 4.4%, r = 0.87). As the composition of grass changes daily during the growing season, it is advisable to determine its composition as soon as possible. As chemical methods are time-consuming, an express method based on an infrared analyzer can be used to solve this problem. The express method involves, after the grinding of the sample, sequential operations such as calibrating the analyzer, placing the sample in the analyzer and analyzing the samples with the analyzer. This means that this method is also quite time-consuming. To obtain information more quickly (two hours), digital technologies are now increasingly being used. The method based on digital technologies involves the sequential execution of the following operations: UAV launch, crop survey, transmission of multispectral data to the server, information processing and calculation of crude fiber content.

Chemical composition and quality of rapeseed meal as affected by genotype and nitrogen fertilization

Rapeseed meal (RSM) is known for its high nutritional quality as animal feed. However, there has been little studies on the effect of nitrogen fertilization on RSM chemical composition, mainly neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and ash content. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of nitrogen application rate on chemical composition of RSM in interaction with different spring rapeseed varieties (Brassica napus L). A field experiment was conducted during 2018/19 cropping season at the experimental station of the Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès” according to a split-plot design with three replications, using six nitrogen application rates, as main plot, and six rapeseed varieties, as subplot. After seeds harvest and oil extraction, meals derived from the different treatments were used in this study. Results showed that increasing nitrogen rate from 0 to 120 kg N ha−1 led to a significant rise in meal yield up to 74.58%. A positive effect of nitrogen fertilization was observed on dry matter, protein content and ash content, recording the highest values at 120 kg N ha−1 treatment. However, cellulose and lignin content were affected negatively by nitrogen fertilization. The nitrogen supply of 150 kg N ha−1 resulted in a reduction of ADF and ADL contents by 23% and 28%, respectively, compared to the unfertilized control (N0). Variability within rapeseed varieties for all parameters except dry matter and ADL content was highlighted.

Desho grass ( Pennisetum pedicellatum ) varieties adaptation trial in highland areas of the North Shewa Zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia.

Abstract The experiment was conducted in highland areas of the Kuyu site, Girar Jarso and Wachale districts of the North Shewa Zone, Oromia region. The objective of the experiment was to identify the adaptable and high biomass yield of Desho grass varieties. Accordingly, four Desho grass varieties, viz. Kindu Kosha DZF#591, Areka DZF#590, Kulumsa DZF#592 and Kindu Kosha DZF#589 were tested in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results of the combined analysis revealed that plant height was significantly ( P < 0.05) different between treatments. The highest plant height was obtained from Kulumsa DZF#592 (85.73 cm), followed by the Areka DZF No# 590 (82.71 cm) and Kindu Kosha DZF#589 (81.74 cm) varieties, while the shortest plant height was recorded from the Kindu Kosha DZF#591 (80.34 cm) variety. However, the plant height of the Desho grass varieties was significant when combined over time, and it was significantly different among the production years. On the other hand, the number of tillers per plant, number of leaves per plant, survival rate and dry matter yield (DM) showed significant ( P < 0.05) differences between treatments. The maximum DM yield (13.85 ton ha -1 ) was obtained from Kindu Kosha DZF#591, followed by Kulumsa DZF#592 (12.81 ton ha -1 ). The number of nodes per plant, internodes length and leaf-to-stem ratio did not vary significantly among the Desho grass varieties. The chemical composition, crude protein yield, Ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) contents were not significantly ( P > 0.05) different among the Desho grass varieties except for dry matter percent. Generally, the varieties Kindu Kosha DZF#591 and Kulumsa DZF#592 have comparable performances for most measured traits in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia. Therefore, Kindu Kosha DZF#591 and Kulumsa DZF#592 varieties of Desho grass were recommended for livestock producers in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia.

Performance evaluation of Vetch ( Vicia spp. ) varieties in highland areas of North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Abstract The study was conducted in highland areas of the North Shewa Zone, Oromia region, with the objective of identifying adaptable and high dry matter yield vetch ( Vicia spp. ) varieties in the study area. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was employed. Vetch ( Vicia spp. ) varieties were (viz. Vicia narbonensis - (Abdeta-118), Vicia villosa L.- (Lalisa-6792), Vicia sativa L. (ICARDA-61509), Vicia sativa L. (Gebisa-62632), Vicia dyscarpa Lana and Vicia atropurpureum ). The results of the combined analysis revealed that plant height, days to 50% flowering, dry matter yield, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and seed yield varied significantly (P<0.05) between treatments except for the number of branches per plant. The highest plant height was obtained from Vicia villosa (Lelisa) (118.40 cm), followed by Vicia dyscarpa Lana (113.89 cm) and Vicia atropurpureum (113.73 cm), while the shortest plant height was recorded from Vicia narbonensis (Abdeta) (80.82 cm). However, the plant height of Vetch ( Vicia spp. ) varieties was significant when combined over time. The maximum dry matter yield (4.76 ton ha -1 ) was obtained from Vicia dyscarpa Lana, followed by Vicia atropurpureum (3.83 ton ha -1 ) and Vicia villosa (Lelisa) (3.46 ton ha -1 ). The analysis results for the ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents showed significantly ( P < 0.05) different values among the vetch ( Vicia spp. ) varieties, except for the crude protein (CP) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) contents. Therefore, based on the performance of most parameters, the Vetch varieties Vicia villosa (Lelisa) and Vicia dyscarpa Lana were identified and recommended to livestock producers in highland areas of the North Shewa Zone, Oromia region.

Aspergillus niger Improves the Nutritional Composition of Apple Pomace by Solid-State Fermentation

The effect of solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus niger on the nutritional composition of apple pomace was investigated in this study. Apple pomace was milled to 2 mm and sterilized at 121 °C for 15 min before fermentation. Aspergillus niger strain (ATCC 200345) was cultured and inoculated to apple pomace 104 spores/ml. Raw and fermented apple pomace were analyzed for determination of the crude protein (CP), ash, ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), neutral-detergent fiber (NDF), acid-detergent fiber (ADF), and acid-detergent lignin (ADL) content. The CP (P

Role of morphological traits and cell wall components in imparting resistance to pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens Walker in maize.

Host Plant Resistance (HPR) is the most important component for sustainable management of insect pests. The purpose of the present work was to understand the role of various morphological and biochemical factors as defense mechanism and their interaction on different biological parameters attributed to survival and development of pink stem borer (PSB), Sesamia inferens Walker in maize. The resistant and moderately resistant genotypes (DMRE 63, CM 500 and WNZ Exotic pool) suffered least leaf injury rating (LIR), dead hearts (DH%), percentage stem tunneling (ST%), number of entry/exit holes (E/EH) and showed deleterious effects on biological parameters of pink stem borer as compared to susceptible ones (CM 202 and BML 6). Resistance index among the genotypes varied from 0.11 to 0.46. The variation in morphological traits such as number of nodes, internode distance and stem diameter could not distinguish all the resistant genotypes from that of susceptible genotypes in terms of its mean value. Higher levels of biochemical constituents, viz., p-Coumaric acid (p-CA), ferulic acid (FA), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were observed in resistant genotypes compared to susceptible ones. Antibiosis was expressed in terms of reduced pupal weight when fed on WNZ Exotic pool, whereas larval weight and larval survival affected when fed on DMRE 63. Higher concentration of p-CA content in pith of resistant maize genotypes prolonged the pupal period of pink stem borer. Higher concentration of p-CA and FA contents in rind reduced the adult emergence, as they showed significant negative correlation between them. The larval period was prolonged with higher levels of ADF and ADL contents in maize genotypes either in rind or both rind and pith as both ADF and ADL content showed a significant positive correlation with the larval period. The Pearson correlation analysis of most of the biochemical constituents revealed significant negative correlation with damage parameters. The correlation coefficients between p-CA with DH (%), ST (%) and E/EH were r= -0.9642**, r= -0.9363**, and r= -0.9646**, respectively. Similarly, the correlation coefficients between FA with DH (%), ST (%) and E/EH were r= -0.9217*, r= -0.9563**, and r= -0.9434**, respectively and ADF with DH (%), ST (%) and E/EH were r= -0.9506**, r= -0.9611**, and r= -0.9709**, respectively. The study confirms that stem damage parameters can also be used as selection criteria along with LIR to identify resistant genotypes against pink stem borer. Based on the correlation analysis it was concluded that resistance to pink stem borer in maize is the result of interaction of several morphological and biochemical traits rather than a single factor. The findings obtained from the present study can be utilised in pink stem borer resistance breeding programmes to enhance and diversify the basis of resistance.

Impact of Soil-Applied Humic Ameliorative Amendment on the Ligno-Cellulose Quality and Calorific Value of Switchgrass Panicum virgatum L.

The main objective of the paper was to determine the ligno-cellulose quality and calorific value of switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. The impact of nutrition treatments (pre-sowing soil humic amendment HA and/or NPK, with annual dose of N on both the treatments, and untreated control UC) and years were evaluated as main effects within a pilot experiment with seven cultivars tested during 2018–2022. Two data sets of acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), crude cellulose (CE), hemicellulose (HEM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and high heating value (HHV) were evaluated, the primary one in terms of quality content and the secondary one in terms of quality yield. The average ADF content of the switchgrass was 43.94% (range 30.15–50.91), while the average contents of ADL, CE, HEM, NDF, and HHV were 9.21% (6.02–12.41), 34.73% (17.98–40.08), 30.49% (21.34–38.41), 74.43% (59.20–81.15%), and 17.206 kJ g−1 (16.579–17.799), respectively. An adequate value of ADF yield was 4.17 Mg ha−1 (0.01–29.31), while for ADL, CE, HEM, NDF and HHV this was 0.79 Mg ha−1 (0.00–5.39), 3.37 Mg ha−1 (0.01–23.92), 2.79 Mg ha−1 (0.01–17.66), 6.96 Mg ha−1 (0.01–46.93), and 1.466 hGJ ha−1 (0.003–10.603), respectively. In terms of the both quality sets the cultivar was confirmed to be the most important factor followed by the year, with nutrition having the least impact. This impact order of the main effects was valid for each of the parameters. Moreover, in terms of quality yield the formation of homogeneity groups corresponded with dry matter yield and therefore with the order of cultivars (EG 1101 ˃ BO Master ˃ EG 1102 ˃ Kanlow ˃ Alamo ˃ Carthage ˃ NJ Ecotype), the years (2021 ˃ 2020 ˃ 2022 ˃ 2019 ˃ 2018), and the treatments (HA ˃ NPK ˃ UC).

Susam tohumunun besin madde kompozisyonunun dört Aspergillus niger suşları kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen katı kültür fermantasyonu ile zenginleştirilmesi

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of solid-state fermentation using four different A. niger strains on the nutritional composition of sesame seed.
 Materials and Methods: The mixture of four different Aspergillus niger strains (ATCC 200344, ATCC 200345, ATCC 201572, and ATCC 52172) was used in the solid-state fermentation. Sesame seed was sterilized at 121 °C for 15 min by autoclave before fermentation. A nutritional salt (glucose: urea: (NH4)2SO4: peptone: KH2PO4: MgSO4.7H2O= 4: 2: 6: 1: 4: 1) was added to sesame seed to support the growth of A. niger strains. Sesame seed was inoculated by the mixture of A. niger strains (at 1 mL of 106 spores/mL for every 100 g) and incubated at 30 °C for seven days. Unfermented and fermented sesame seed were analyzed for determination of the crude protein, ether extract, ash, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin content.
 Results: The crude protein and ash contents of sesame seed were increased (P

A comparison of the nutritive value of perennial ryegrass, perennial ryegrass and white clover and multispecies‐based farmlet systems

AbstractBackgroundLimited information is available regarding the nutritive value and structural characteristics of multispecies swards when rotationally grazed.MethodsThree farmlet types were investigated in terms of their nutritive value: Lolium perenne (LP); L. perenne+Trifolium repens (LP+TR); and a multispecies sward containing grasses, legumes and herbs (MSS). Farmlets were stocked with beef steers (2.5 livestock units ha−1), grazed on a 1 ha scale to 6 cm (MSS) and 4 cm (LP and LP+TR) residuals.ResultsA greater ash concentration was found in MSS than LP (84 vs. 75 g kg−1 DM). Both LP+TR and MSS had higher crude protein and lower neutral detergent fibre concentrations than LP. The relative ranking of water soluble carbohydrate and dry matter (DM) concentration was LP > LP+TR > MSS. Despite the leaf component of the LP farmlet contributing more to herbage DM, the organic matter digestibilities of the swards were similar.ConclusionsThe MSS and LP+TR farmlets achieved similar forage quality under intensive grazing to LP. However, it is worth noting that MSS had a higher concentration of acid detergent lignin, which can negatively impact digestibility. Further investigation is needed to determine optimal grazing management practices that can minimise the effects of higher lignin concentration on digestibility in multispecies swards.

Nutritional Content Analysis of Crop Residues in Three Agroecologies in East Gojjam Zone.

Livestock is important and plentiful in Ethiopia, but its potential is not being used to its full extent due to limited supply and inconsistent feed supply. This has a negative impact on livestock productivity in the tropics, where crop residues are used as livestock feed. The analysis of the nutritional content of feed and the measurement of feed production are crucial for maintaining the optimal balance of annual livestock feed and improving livestock production. However, no research has been conducted on the nutritional composition of the crop residues in the East Gojjam zone. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the nutritional content of crop residues in the three agroecologies in Ethiopia's East Gojjam zone. Ash, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were analyzed in the feed samples. According to the findings, the overall mean content of DM, ash, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, and ADL was 92.3, 5.2, 87.1, 4.1, 71, 56.6, and 9.6%, respectively. The faba bean has the highest CP (6.2%), followed by barley straws (5.5%), vetch haulms (5.5%), Eragrostis tef (3.7%), wheat straws (3.2%), and maize stover (2.9%). In general, all crop residues contain CP content below the critical CP level required even for livestock maintenance. The highest NDF was found in barley straw (75.1%), which was followed by wheat straw (72.0%), Eragrostis tef straw (70.2%), vetch haulms (69.3%), maize stover (67.4%), and faba bean haulms (67.2%). All types of crop residues were classified as low-quality feed because they contained more than 65% NDF, which could affect feed intake and livestock production. Therefore, crop residues must be improved using mechanical, biological, and chemical methods in order to increase livestock production in the study areas by increasing feed consumption.

Isolation and identification of ligninolytic bacterium (Bacillus cereus) from buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) rumen and its effects on the fermentation quality, nutrient composition, and bacterial community of rape silage.

This study aimed to isolate and identify a ligninolytic bacterium from the rumen of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and investigate its effects as a silage additive for whole-plant rape. Three lignin-degradation strains were isolated from the buffalo rumen, with AH7-7 being chosen for further experiments. Strain AH7-7, with acid tolerance and a 51.4% survival rate at pH 4, was identified as Bacillus cereus. It exhibited a lignin-degradation rate of 20.5% after being inoculated in a lignin-degrading medium for 8 days. We divided the rape into four groups according to the various additive compositions to examine the fermentation quality, nutritional value, and bacterial community after ensiling: Bc group (inoculated with B. cereus AH7-7 3.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1), Blac group (inoculated with B. cereus AH7-7 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1, L. plantarum 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1, and L. buchneri 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1), Lac group (inoculated with L. plantarum 1.5 × 106 CFU g FW-1 and L. buchneri 1.5 × 106 CFU g FW-1), and Ctrl group (no additives). After 60 days of fermentation, the application of B. cereus AH7-7 was potent in modulating the fermentation quality of silage, especially when combined with L. plantarum and L. buchneri, as indicated by lower dry matter loss and higher contents of crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrate, and lactic acid. Furthermore, treatments with the B. cereus AH7-7 additive decreased the contents of acid detergent lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. The B. cereus AH7-7 additive treatments reduced the bacterial diversity and optimized the bacterial community compositions of silage, with an increase in the relative abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus and a decrease in the relative abundance of undesirable Pantoea and Erwinia. Functional prediction revealed that inoculation with B. cereus AH7-7 could increase the cofactors and vitamins metabolism, amino acid metabolism, translation, replication and repair, and nucleotide metabolism, while decreasing the carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, and energy metabolism. In brief, B. cereus AH7-7 improved the microbial community, fermentation activity, and ultimately the quality of silage. The ensiling with B. cereus AH7-7, L. plantarum, and L. buchneri combination is an effective and practical strategy to improve the fermentation and nutrition preservation of rape silage.

Forage-Yield and Nutrient Quality of New Brown Midrib (BMR) Mutant Lines of Sorghum

The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield, nutrient profile and in vitro digestibility of new BMR mutant lines of sorghum in Indonesia. These mutant lines were GH2.1, GH2.2, GH2.3, GH4.1, GH4.2, GH4.3 and GH4.4. One sorghum mutant line (CTY) and two national sorghum varieties (Super 1 and Bioguma) were also evaluated as controls. In vitro digestibility and rumen fermentation were measured using Ankom Daisy Fermenter and Hohenheim gas test methods, respectively. In vitro measurement consisted of ten treatments with five replications following a completely randomized design. The highest stem sugar content was found in Bioguma (11.22%) and GH4.4 (9.32%) (p<0.05). The Bioguma variety and the GH2.3 mutant line had a higher number of stem segments and fresh forage yield than the Super 1 variety (p<0.05). A greater concentration of crude protein (CP) was observed for the GH.2.1, GH2.2, GH2.3 and GH4.1 lines (p<0.05). The GH2.3 mutant line had the lowest acid detergent lignin (ADL) content (p<0.05), while Bioguma had the highest level of non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) compounds (p<0.05). The highest relative feed value (RFV) was observed for the GH2.3 line (p<0.05). Furthermore, GH4.2 and GH2.3 had greater in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) (p<0.05) but were not significantly different from Bioguma. Regarding yield characteristics, nutrient composition and in vitro digestibility values, the highest values were found in the Bioguma variety and the GH2.3 mutant line. Except for n-valerate (nC5), significant differences in all rumen fermentation parameters were observed among sorghum cultivars (p<0.05). Regarding the interrelationship between parameters, we found a medium correlation of DMD with the ADL and cellulose content of sorghum forage (R2 = -0.489 and R2 = -0.674, respectively). Based on these findings, the GH2.3 BMR mutant line should be further developed as forage sorghum.

Seasonal Variation in Chemical Composition, Ruminal Fermentation, and Biological Characteristics of Paulownia shan tong: In Vitro Potential Use by Sheep and Goats

This study was conducted to determine the seasonal variation (two seasonal harvests during winter and spring) in some chemical and biochemical characteristics of Paulownia shan tong leaves. To achieve this, we analyzed the chemical composition in terms of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), cell-wall content (neutral detergent fiber (NDF)), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and lipids. The phenolic compounds (PC) and antioxidant activity (AA) of the leaves were also determined. In vitro gas production (GP) and nutrient degradability were evaluated using two ruminal-content donors (sheep and goats). Higher (p &lt; 0.05) antioxidant activities were observed in the winter harvest of P. shan tong, while higher concentrations of OM (90.5%), lipids (3.02%), NDF (69.7%), ADF (54.8%), ADL (35.4%), total flavonoids (0.45 mg catechin equivalents/mg DM), and total phenolics (2.52 mg gallic acid equivalents/mg DM) were observed in the spring harvest. Higher asymptotic GP and rate of GP (p &lt; 0.05) were observed when the leaves were incubated with rumen liquor of goats compared to sheep; however, higher (p &lt; 0.05) lag time of GP and half-time of GP were observed with rumen liquor from sheep. Moreover, higher asymptotic GP, rate of GP, and half-time of GP were observed with the winter harvest of P. shan tong. Higher (p &lt; 0.001) metabolizable energy, OM degradability, and microbial protein supplies were obtained when the leaves were incubated with rumen fluids from goats and from the winter harvest of P. shan tong compared to the spring harvest. In conclusion, based on the chemical composition and the kinetics of in vitro gas production, P. shan tong leaves seem to be characterized by a good nutritive value and could be considered as an alternative feed resource for ruminants.

Practical Considerations for Using the NeoSpectra-Scanner Handheld Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectrometer to Predict the Nutritive Value of Undried Ensiled Forage.

Prediction models of different types of forage were developed using a dataset of near-infrared reflectance spectra collected by three handheld NeoSpectra-Scanners and laboratory reference values for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), in vitro digestibility (IVTD), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), crude protein (CP), Ash, and moisture content (MO) from a total of 555 undried ensiled corn, grass, and alfalfa samples. Data analyses and results of models developed in this study indicated that the scanning method significantly impacted the accuracy of the prediction of forage constituents, and using the NEO instrument with the sliding method improved calibration model performance (p < 0.05) for nearly all constituents. In general, poorer-performing models were more impacted by instrument-to-instrument variability. The exception, however, was moisture content (p = 0.02), where the validation set with an independent instrument resulted in an RMSEP of 2.39 compared to 1.44 where the same instruments were used for both calibration and validation. Validation model performance for NDF, IVTD, NDFD, ADL, ADF, Ash, CP, and moisture content were 4.18, 3.86, 6.14, 1.10, 2.75, 1.42, 2.71, and 1.67 for alfalfa-grass silage samples and 3.22, 2.21, 4.55, 0.38, 2.07, 0.50, 0.51, and 1.62 for corn silage, respectively. Based on the results of this study, the handheld spectrometer would be useful for predicting moisture content in undried and unground alfalfa-grass (R2 = 0.97) and corn (R2 = 0.93) forage samples.

Yield, Nutritional Composition, and Digestibility of Conventional and Brown Midrib (BMR) Pearl Millet as Affected by Planting and Harvesting Dates and Interseeded Cowpea.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield, nutritional composition, and digestibility of conventional (CON) and brown midrib (BMR) pearl millet (PM) with different establishment dates, maturity at harvest and when mixed with cowpea (CWP). In trial 1, CON and BMR were planted on two different dates. In trial 2, CON and BMR, mixed or not with CWP, were harvested when PM was at the boot or heading stages. In trial 1, dry matter (DM) yield was similar between both PM genotypes but delaying establishment reduced DM yield by 30%. Additionally, BMR had a lower concentration of acid detergent lignin (ADL) and a higher in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD) compared to CON. In Trial 2, the DM yield was 7.3% higher for CON compared to BMR, and PM with the BMR trait had a lower level of ADL and higher IVNDFD compared to CON. Mixing PM with CWP had negligible effects on nutritional composition but reduced DM yield by 8.3%. Results of these studies indicated that fiber from BMR PM is more digestible than CON but, in one of the trials, this occurred at the expense of lower DM yield. Mixing CWP with PM negatively impacted DM yield.

Nutritional evaluation of Pentas schimperiana as livestock feed and potential protein supplement

Pentas schimperiana is locally available and dominantly used as a dairy cattle feed in the Dawuro zone's Maraka district, Ethiopia. There is some information about its utilization practice, however, data on its nutritional benefit is limited. This research aimed to examine the chemical content and digestibility of P. schimperiana for use as cattle feed during the dry season. For this study, a 2x2 factorial design with two agro-ecologies (midland and highland) and two seasons (wet and dry) was used for this study. P. schimperiana leaves, twigs and stems were gathered and processed for laboratory analysis from two agro-ecologies and two seasons. The chemical composition, in-vitro digestibility, and in-Sacco degradability of the samples were determined after incubation at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. Effective degradability (ED) and Potential degradation (PD) were computed. The collected data were subjected to an Analysis of Variance and the means that had significant deference, the mean separation was performed by Tukey with alpha level of 0.05. In-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) (87.41%) and crude protein (CP) (17.39%) were significantly higher in highland. Digestible crude protein (DCP) was significantly larger in dry than in the wet season with the content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) decreased. During the wet season, potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED) of DM were highest in the highland with a decrease in leg time, which was related to the low content of ADF, ADL, NDF, tannin, and high CP in vegetative stages of P. schimperiana. The result indicates that P. schimperiana might be used as supplementary feeds to enhance utilization of low-quality feed resources and improve the performance of ruminants during the dry season when feed is scarce.

Ruminal Fiber Degradation Kinetics within and among Warm-Season Annual Grasses as Affected by the Brown Midrib Mutation.

Simple SummaryWarm-season annual grasses alternative to corn are an attractive option for feeding dairy cattle due to decreased seeding costs and tolerance to drought stress. Warm-season annual grasses include corn, sorghum, and pearl millet. Similar to corn, some varieties of sorghum and pearl millet can contain the brown midrib (BMR) mutation in their genome, which may result in a greater degradability of neutral detergent fiber (NDF). In this study, we evaluated whether forages containing the BMR mutation exhibit the highest NDF digestibility regardless of forage type. For this evaluation, we determined the degradability of NDF by placing forage samples in porous bags within the rumen of lactating dairy cows and measuring how much NDF disappeared over time. Results from this study show that, although forages containing the BMR mutation may show greater NDF degradability than non-BMR forages of the same grass type, forages containing the BMR mutation do not always have the greatest fiber degradability when compared to conventional varieties of other grasses.The objective of this study was to compare the nutritional composition and the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradation kinetics of brown midrib (BMR) and non-BMR genotypes within and across warm-season annual grasses. Four commercial varieties (two non-BMR and two BMR) of corn, sorghum, and pearl millet were planted in plots. Forage samples were incubated in the rumen of three rumen-cannulated cows for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 240 h. On an NDF basis, all forage types showed lower acid detergent lignin (ADL) concentrations for BMR genotypes, but the magnitude of the difference differed among forage types. The concentration of undegraded NDF (uNDF; NDF basis) differed among forage types and between genotypes. Corn had the least, pearl millet had the intermediate, and sorghum had the greatest concentration of uNDF. Non-BMR genotypes had greater concentrations of uNDF than BMR genotypes. No interaction existed between forage type and genotype for the concentration of uNDF. In conclusion, although BMR forages may show lower ADL concentrations in the cell wall and greater NDF degradability than non-BMR forages of the same forage type, BMR forages do not always have the least ADL concentration or the greatest NDF degradability when comparing different forage types.

Genetic variation and QTL analysis of saturated fatty acids in two doubled haploid populations of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

Consumption of foodstuff with low contents of saturated fatty acids is considered beneficial for human health. Reducing saturated fatty acid content in oilseed rape (canola) and other oil and protein crops is a relevant breeding aim. The objective of this work was to study the genetic variation and inheritance of saturated fatty acids in two DH populations of oilseed rape, to map QTL and to identify candidate genes. In addition, the correlation to other seed quality traits was studied. To this end, two half-sib DH populations were tested in up to five field environments in north-western Europe and seeds harvested from open-pollinated seeds were analyzed. Genotyping was performed using Illumina Brassica 15 K SNP chip. In both populations, significant effects for the genotypes and for the environments were detected, and heritability ranged from 68 to 89% for the predominant palmitic acid and stearic acid content. Up to 48 QTL for different fatty acids, oil and acid detergent lignin (ADL) content were mapped in the two populations. Co-locating QTL for palmitic acid, stearic acid, the C16/18 fatty acid ratio, the FATB/A ratio, oil and ADL content were identified on different chromosomes. A large number of candidate genes were identified within the vicinity of QTL flanking markers. Identification of several co-locating QTL positions, of associated candidate genes and SNP markers should facilitate oilseed rape breeding for low saturated fatty acid content.

Sustainable Use of Legume Residues: Effect on Nutritive Value and Ensiling Characteristics of Maize Straw Silage

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritive value, in vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD), and ensiling characteristics of legume foliage–maize straw silages. For silage, the proportion of legume to maize was 20%:80% (maize–lablab (ML), maize–indigenous cowpea (MI), maize–Betswit (MB), and maize–Dr Saunders (MD)). Maize alone (M) was used as a control, making up five treatments. Silages were opened after 45 days, and samples were taken for chemical composition, IVDMD, and fermentation characteristics analysis. Other samples were put through a seven-day aerobic stability test. All data were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance, in a completely randomized design (CRD). For the nutritive value of the silage, the ML had the highest (p &lt; 0.05) crude protein (CP) content, when compared with other silages. Maize–Betswit had the lowest (p &lt; 0.05) neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) content, when compared with other silages. The lowest (p &lt; 0.05) ether-extract (EE) and hemicellulose content was recorded for MI silage. The lowest (p &lt; 0.05) pH was recorded for maize silage. All silages had similar (p &gt; 0.05) amounts of lactic acid (LA), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), yeast, and mould counts. The MI had the lowest (p &lt; 0.05) carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, when compared with other silages. The highest (p &lt; 0.05) IVDMD was recorded for ML silage, from 24 h up to 72 h. The addition of legumes in maize straw resulted in improved silage quality and fermentation characteristics.