Extent Of Dry Matter Degradation Research Articles

Nutritive value, fermentation characteristics, and in situ disappearance kinetics of ensiled warm-season legumes and bahiagrass

This study determined the nutritive value, ensiling characteristics, and in situ disappearance kinetics of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge ‘Tifton 9’), perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth. ‘Florigraze’), annual peanut [Arachis hypogaea (L.) ‘FL MDR 98’], cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ‘Iron clay’], and pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. ‘GA-2’]. All forages were harvested at maturity stages that optimized dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value. After harvest, forages were wilted to 45% DM, and 4 replicate bales of each legume and 8 bales of bahiagrass were wrapped in polyethylene and ensiled for 180 d. After each bale was opened, the forage was thoroughly mixed, and representative subsamples were taken for laboratory analysis and in situ incubation. Wilting and ensiling decreased the rumen-undegradable protein, water-soluble carbohydrate, crude protein (CP), and in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) of bahiagrass, perennial peanut, and cowpea, and increased their neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentrations. Among haylages, CP concentration was greatest for annual peanut, followed by perennial peanut and cowpea, and least for bahiagrass. In contrast, NDF concentration was greater in bahiagrass than in legumes. Pigeonpea had the greatest NDF concentration among legumes and lowest IVTD of all haylages. All haylages were aerobically stable for at least 84h, but pH was lower in perennial peanut and cowpea than in pigeonpea. Ammonia-N concentrations tended to be greater in legume haylages than in bahiagrass haylage. Butyrate concentration was greater in annual and perennial peanut than in bahiagrass. Total VFA concentration was greater in annual and perennial peanut and cowpea haylages than in bahiagrass haylage. Undegradable DM fractions were greater and extent of DM degradation was lower in bahiagrass and pigeonpea than in other haylages but lag time and degradation rates did not differ. Annual and perennial peanut and cowpea haylages were as aerobically stable and had greater CP, IVTD, and extent of degradation than did bahiagrass haylage; therefore, they are promising forages for dairy cow diets in the southeastern United States.

Effects of phenolic acid structures on meadow hay digestibility

The objectives were to evaluate effects of phenolic acid content and composition on the digestibility of six meadow hays from Northern Portugal. Digestibility was assessed by gas production, in vitro and in situ degradation methods. Four cows fed diets at energy maintenance were used for in situ incubations and to provide rumen fluid for in vitro incubations. There were no relationships between phenolic acid concentrations and other cell wall components. The dry matter (DM) potential degradation ( a + b) was positively related to the etherified fractions of ferulic acid (FAeth, P=0.012) and p-coumaric acid (PCAeth, P<0.001) and to the total amount of ferulic acid (FAtotal; P=0.033). The insoluble, but potentially degradable, constant ( b) of DM had a positive relationship with PCAeth (P=0.008). The in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility (IVNDFD), and the estimated asymptotic gas production of the second phase ( A 2), were positively related to the esterified fraction of ferulic acid (FAest, P<0.05), FAeth (P<0.01) and FAtotal (P<0.05). The total amount of p-coumaric acid (PCAtotal) had a positive relationship with IVNDFD (P=0.047). In vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) was positively correlated with FAeth and FAtotal (P<0.05). In contrast, lignin (pm) concentrations negatively correlated with DM effective degradability (ED; P=0.005) and the maximum rate of gas production of the second phase ( R max G 2; P=0.009). Degradation kinetic constants i. e., (c) of DM and NDF tended to be negatively correlated to the phenolic acid concentrations, mainly with the PCAeth fraction (P=0.056 and P=0.006, respectively). The same trend occurred for the fractional rate of fermentation of the second phase ( R 2; P=0.09). Principal component analysis confirmed that lignin (pm) concentration (principal component 3) is one of the major limiting factors to in vitro DM digestibility of these hays. Thus it seems that for these meadow hays, both lignin (pm) content and cross-linkages between cell wall polymers influenced rate and extent of DM degradation.

Edible forage production, chemical composition, rumen degradation and gas production characteristics of Calliandra calothyrsus (Messin) provenances in the humid tropics of West Africa

Two experiments evaluated variations in feed value among Calliandra calothyrsus provenances. In Experiment 1, edible forage production of four provenances were evaluated at Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria over a 2-year period in three seasons: main-wet (April–August), minor-wet (September–November) and dry (December–March). Forage samples from the main-wet and dry seasons were incubated for 6, 12, 48, 72 and 96 h in rumen-fistulated steers to estimate in sacco dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) degradation characteristics. In vitro gas production was estimated over 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation. In Experiment 2, DM degradation characteristics of 14 provenances of C. calothyrsus planted on an acid soil in Yaounde, Cameroon, were evaluated. Data were subjected to cluster analysis for grouping, and the 14 provenances were placed into four distinct cluster groups. Based on the potential extent of DM and, N degradation and gas production characteristics in Experiment 1, the four provenances of C. calothyrsus were classified into three forage quality groups: high (ILCA 16310), medium (ILCA 14891, ILCA 15166) and low (NFTA 896). In Experiment 2, using the extent of DM degradation as a forage quality index, C. calothyrsus provenances in clusters 3 and 4 (namely: 51/92, 11/91, 13/91, 45/92, 10/91, 15/91, 18/91, 134/91, 12/91, 62/92), were relatively higher in quality than their counterparts in clusters 1 and 2. The results suggested the existence of intra-species variation among the provenances, and confirmed earlier observations that forage quality of C. calothyrsus could be improved through provenance evaluation.

Comparison of in situ and in vitro gas production techniques to estimate rumen degradation characteristics of forages

Quantitative expressions of the kinetics of digestion are needed to estimate more precisely the quantity and composition of nutrients digested from feeds and their subsequent efficiency of utilization by the animal (Mertens, 1993). Degradation kinetic parameters are estimated by fitting appropriate models to data resulting from the measurement of either the undigested residue or the fermentation end-products after exposure of the feed to digestion. Kinetic data can be collected using either in vitro or in situ procedures. The in situ porous synthetic fibre bag technique has been extensively used to describe the kinetics of feeds degradation in the rumen. Several in vitro gas production methods have been developed to assess fermentation kinetics. The aim of this work was to study the relationship between rumen degradation parameters of forages determined either by the in situ procedure or by the gas production technique and to evaluate the potential of gas production measurements to assess the extent of dry matter degradation in the rumen.

Rumen degradation in sheep, goats and cattle and voluntary intake by sheep of four browse species

Two experiments were conducted using dried leaves ofAlchornea cordifolia, Ficus capensis, Manniophytum fulvum andAlbizza niopoides. In Experiment 1, dry matter (DM) degradation characteristics were investigated using thein sacco nylon bag technique in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep, WAD goats and Bunaji steers. In Experiment 2, voluntary intake of the browse forage when fed as supplements to sheep at 0, 10 and 30% levels was measured. In Experiment 1,A. cordifolia andM. fulvum had significantly higher rapidly degradable DM fraction thanA. niopoides andF. capensis. Averaged across browse species, the extent of DM degradation for sheep (58.3%) was significantly higher than for goat (47.7%) or cattle (44.1%). Ranking order of browse species for the extent of DM degradation was:F. capensis>A. cordifolia=M. fulvum=A. niopoides. In Experiment 2, as the level of supplementation increased from 10 to 30%, voluntary intake ofA. niopoides andM. fulvum increased while voluntary intake ofA. cordifolia andF. capensis declined. The results suggest that dried leaves ofA. niopoides andM. fulvum are more acceptable to WAD sheep than those ofA. cordifolia andF. capensis.