Dry Matter Density Research Articles

Complete Rations for Dairy Cattle. I. Methods of Preparation and Roughage-to-Concentrate Ratios of Blended Rations with Corn Silage

Treatment means for dry matter intake, milk production, fat-corrected milk, milk fat test and body weight gains did not differ significantly when rations containing comparable proportions of corn silage and concentrate mixture (30% roughage and 70% concentrate) were fed ad libitum as an ensiled complete ration, a complete ration blended at feeding time, or as separate components in a switchback-type experiment. Ensiling dry matter loss and pH averaged 2.9% and 3.85 for the ensiled cpmplete ration, and 5.0% and 3.75 for the urea-treated silage. Dry matter density of the ensiled complete ration was 81% greater than that of urea-treated silages.In the second experiment, widening roughage-to-concentrate ratios of complete rations from 40:60 to 30:70 to 20:80, was accompanied by stepwise increases in milk production and non-significant increases in dry matter intake under ad libitum feeding. Solids-corrected milk production was higher on the 20:80 than on the 40:60 roughage-to-concentrate ration. Milk fat tests were lower and body weight gains higher on the 20:80 and 30:70 roughage-to-concentrate rations than on the 40:60 ration. Solids-not-fat percentages were similar on all rations.

Process of Dry Matter Accumulation into the Kernel and Grain Characteristics of Japonica and Indica Rice

In order to confirm the process of dry matter accumulation into the Kernel, 20 panicles heading the even date were collected every day from 5 days after heading till maturity, and the spike-lets on the panicles were assorted according to the location on panicle into E, M, M' and L groups as in fig.4. The dry weight of each group collected every day was measured. The rsults obtained are summerized as follows: (1) In Tyukyo-Asahi, E. M, M' and L took 28, 30, 33 and 40 days to gain maximum dry-weight respectively, whereas 19, 20, 23 and 25 days were taken in Bluebonnet, as shown in fig.4. Indica varieties attained faster to mature stage and the disparity in days required to gain maximum dry-weight between E andL was less in comparison with japonica varieties. (table 1) Therefor, the divergence in moisture content among the kernels harvested in a field may be less in indicas and this character of indicas is considered to be more suitable for use of the combined-harvester and rapid drying of paddy. On the other hand, the competition for dry matter absorption among the kernels in a panicle will be harder in indicas for reason of short duration of dry matter absorption and large number of kernels per panicle. (2) In general, dry matter accumulation in rice kernels begins to concentrate 7-9 days after flowering at the central part of kernel and gradually spreads to the outer regions, and translucency follows the dry matter accumulation in the same order. (fig.1) At the time of the central part of kernel being translucent, indicas gained 33-35 per cent dry weight as compared to 25-28 per cent in japonicas. (fig.4, table 1) During translucency progressed from central part till 1/3 of lateral diameter on the transverse section of fully ripened kernel, indicas gathered 24-26 per cent weight, whereas japonicas gathered l5-19 per cent weight. During translucency spread from 1/3 of lateral diameter till 2/3 of lateral diameter, indicas got 21-24 per cent and japonicas got 25-29 per cent. After 2/3 stage, 20 per cent and 30 per cent was gained by indicas and japonicas respectively till fully ripened stage. The difference between indicas and japonicas in the process of dry matter accumulation is considered to be correlated with the difference of hardness (density of dry matter) distribution in the transverse section of kernel. (fig.7)

Influence of Moisture, Dry-Matter Density and Rate of Loading on Ultimate Strength of Cotton Stalks

Influence of Moisture, Dry-Matter Density and Rate of Loading on Ultimate Strength of Cotton Stalks