Feeding Value Of Straw Research Articles

Improving the feeding value of rice straw

For rice producers, removing straw from a field after harvest is important because the material is slow to break down and needs to be gone prior to planting the next season. One option is to bale the straw and use it as a forage supplement for cattle. Although rice straw is a lowcost supplement, it’s also low in forage quality and digestibility. Three trials over a four-year period tested methods to improve rice straw forage quality in the field where it was harvested, and then tested the treatments in cattle feeding trials to assess intake by cattle, performance in weight and size gain, and forage quality. The goal was to find an economical method to improve rice straw feeding value that was also practical to implement for both rice farmers and beef cattle producers. Of the treatments tested, treating traditionally baled rice straw with ammonia gas improved crude protein, intake and cattle performance, compared to untreated straw. The treatment achieved the goals of being easily transported, practical to implement, and cost effective.

Comparison of different cool season cereal species and cultivars in terms of straw yield and quality

This study was carried out in the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 growing season in order to determine and compare the yield, digestibility dry matter and relative feed value of straw obtained from cereals. In the study, which was carried out in three replications according to the randomized blocks experimental design; 3 bread wheat, 3 durum wheat, 3 triticale and 4 barley cultivars were used as plant material. The difference between cereal species in terms of plant height, biological yield, seed yield, straw yield and crude protein was statistically significant (P≤0.01). In terms of these features the highest results were obtained from triticale straw and the lowest values were obtained from barley and bread wheat straw. At the same time, the lowest crude protein ratio was obtained from triticale straw, where the best yield results were obtained. The difference between cereal species in terms of crude protein yield, ADF and NDF contens, digestibility dry matter and relative feed values were found to be statistically insignificant. As a result, it was determined that the species with the highest yield among the species was trikale. In terms of quality criteria, it was determined that only the crude protein content was statistically significant among the species and the lowest value was obtained from triticale and the highest value was obtained from bread wheat and barley in terms of this property.

Biomass yield and feeding value of rye, triticale, and wheat straw produced under a dual-purpose management system.

Dual-purpose management of winter cereals for grazing and grain production provides highly nutritive forage for ruminants in the spring and may positively affect straw feeding value. A 2-yr study investigated the effect of spring defoliation of triticale, wheat, and rye at the tillering and stem elongation stages on total biomass, grain yields, and straw quality. Furthermore, straws of spring-defoliated and undefoliated (control) cereal crops were evaluated for nutritional value and voluntary intake as a means of assessing the efficiency of dual-purpose management systems from the winter feeding context as well. The feeding study consisted of 9 total mixed rations (TMR), each containing 35% triticale, rye, or wheat straw obtained under 3 spring-defoliation regimens. The TMR were individually fed to fifty-four 1-yr-old Anatolian Merino ewes for 28 d. Defoliation of the crops at tillering did not affect the total biomass production or grain yields. However, biomass and grain yields were reduced ( < 0.01) by 55 and 52%, respectively, in crops defoliated at stem elongation. Straw of spring-defoliated cereals had less NDF and ADF concentrations ( < 0.01) but greater CP ( < 0.01), nonfiber carbohydrates ( < 0.01), and ME concentrations ( < 0.01) compared with straw from undefoliated crops. The increase in the nutritive value of straw led to greater nutrient digestion ( < 0.01) and intake of DM and OM of ewes ( < 0.01). However, sheep live weight gain did not differ among treatments ( > 0.77). This study indicated that straw feeding value and digestibility can be increased through spring defoliation.

Improving the feeding value of straws with Pleurotus ostreatus

The high content of lignin in cell walls is the major limiting factor in the digestion and utilisation of cereal crop residues by ruminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the white rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus), to degrade lignin and to enhance the rumen degradability of maize stover, rice straw, wheat straw and their mixture in equal proportion on a dry-matter (DM) basis. Four samples of each substrate were incubated aerobically in triplicate with P. ostreatus for 0 (Control), 21, 28 and 35 days under solid-state conditions (temperature, 24°C; humidity, 70 ± 5%). The changes in chemical composition, DM and nutrient losses, and rumen fermentation characteristics using in vitro DM digestibility (DMD) and the in vitro gas-production (GP) technique were measured. The results showed that incubation with P. ostreatus decreased (P &lt; 0.001) the contents of neutral detergent fibre and lignin with a concomitant increase (P &lt; 0.001) in the contents of ash and crude protein. The losses of nutrients differed (P &lt; 0.001) among the straw types, with rice straw and maize stover showing the largest (P &lt; 0.05) lignin degradation compared to wheat and mixed straws. The DMD and 72-h cumulative GP increased (P &lt; 0.001) consistently with increasing fungal incubation period and for all substrates the highest values of DMD and GP were measured after 35 days of incubation with P. ostreatus. The lignin degradation was strongly associated with hemicellulose degradation (r = 0.71) across the various straws. Results of the present study demonstrated that incubation of low-quality crop residues with P. ostreatus under solid-state conditions upgrades their feeding value by reducing the content of lignin and increasing the content of crude protein and ruminal degradation.

Effects of gibberellic acid application after anthesis on the feeding value of double-purpose rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw at harvest

This study was to investigate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) application after anthesis on the feeding value of double-purpose (grains as human food and straw as animal roughage) rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw at harvest. Three japonica rice cultivars Huaidao 6, Nanjing 43 and Nanjing 46 in 2009 and Huaidao 6, Nanjing 43 and Yangfujing 8 in 2010 were cultivated in Nanjing under the same management of Jiangsu area. They were sprayed GA with 45ghm−2 on the 15th d after anthesis in 2009 and on the 1st, 7th and 15th d after anthesis in 2010. At harvest, the feeding value related traits of rice straw, single panicle weight (PW) and 1000-grain weight were determined in 2 years. The fermentation quality related traits of fresh rice straw silage were determined in 2010. Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and crude protein (CP) contents in rice straw were significantly increased by spraying GA, especially on the 15th d after anthesis, and the fermentation quality of rice straw silage was improved with the increase of NSC and CP contents. PW was also significantly increased by spraying GA after anthesis. The results indicated that spraying GA after anthesis could significantly improve the feeding value of straw and the panicle weight for double-purpose rice.

Use of white rot fungi to improve the feed value of rice straw

Introduction In many countries straw is a main feed for cattle in the winter or in the dry season. However, the feed value of straw is too low to obtain high production levels. One of the main reason for the low feed value of straw is the high lignin level (for rice straw up to 5 %), preventing microbes to access the valuable carbohydrates and causing a low feed intake. In the past many attempts have been published to increase the feed value, using sodium hydroxide, urea and ammonia. Rodrigues et al. (2008) showed that enzymes of fungi are capable of increasing the digestibility of straw in rumen fluid. The aim of the present research was in investigate if growing fungi can be used to unseal the straw and to increase its feed value. Rice straw samples were incubated for different periods with two strains of white rot fungi before being fermented in rumen fluid, using the gas production technique.

QTL Analysis for Traits Associated with Feeding Value of Straw in Rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

Genetic improvement of the digestibility of rice straw for increasing the utilization of the whole rice plant as feedstuffs is an important way to solve the feedstuffs shortage in southeastern China. To elucidate the genetic basis of the traits affecting the digestibility of rice straw, a rice population of 111 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross of Nekken 2×Gaya was used to map the quantitative traits loci (QTLs) for in vitro dry matter digestion (IVDMD), the percentages of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) and acid detergent fiber (exclusive of residual ash, ADFom) in 2005 and 2006. IVDMD was positively correlated with NSC, and negatively correlated with ADFom. A total of 16 QTLs were detected in the two years, and the amounts of variation explained by individual QTLs ranged from 6.9% to 15.5%. Some QTLs for IVDMD and ADFom on chromosome 2 were detected in the two years. On chromosome 2, the interval RM475–RM3515 contained QTLs for IVDMD in the two years and for NSC in 2006 only, while the interval RM3874–RM5305 influenced ADFom in the two years and NSC in 2005 only. At those loci, Gaya contributed favorable alleles to IVDMD and NSC, while Nekken 2 contributed positive alleles to ADFom.

Effects of rainfall and temperature on the feeding value of barley straw in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment

Annual variation in the feeding value of barley straw (Hordeum vulgare L. subsp. vulgare) is economically significant in the Mediterranean region. The relationship between the feeding value for sheep of several winter-planted barley cultivars and monthly meteorological data was analysed at Tel Hadya, northwest Syria (mean annual precipitation 330 mm) in 11 years. Indicators of feeding value included contents of neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and nitrogen (11 years), voluntary straw intake by sheep (10 years), voluntary digestible organic matter intake (9 years), in sacco dry matter loss and lignin content (8 years), in vitro digestibility (7 years) and in vitro gas production (6 years). Monthly meteorological data included total precipitation, mean minimum and mean maximum air temperatures.Conditions likely to decrease grain yield tended to increase the feeding value of straw. Low mean minimum temperature in February, low precipitation in January, February, March and April, and high mean maximum temperature in March, April and May increased one or more indicators of straw feeding value (by both bivariate and multiple regression, P&lt;0·05). Precipitation before January affected grain and straw yield but had little effect on the feeding value of straw.Genotype × year interactions had a meteorological component; the superior feeding value of the straw of locally-adapted cultivars v. exotic cultivars was only seen in years with cool or wet springs. This has implications for the genetic selection of crops with better straw feeding value.Models based on monthly precipitation and temperature, calibrated for locations in the Mediterranean region, can predict the nutritive value of straw and aid the planning of rations for small ruminants.

Straw feeding value in sheep and goats: effect of energy and nitrogen supply

Straw feeding value in sheep and goats: effect of energy and nitrogen supply

Straw feeding value in sheep and goats: effect of energy and nitrogen supply

Straw feeding value in sheep and goats: effect of energy and nitrogen supply

Voluntary intake and digestibility of barley straw as influenced by variety and supplementation with either barley grain or cottonseed cake

Voluntary intake and digestibility trials using Awassi sheep were conducted with straw from seven barley varieties and a landrace from Syria. Two straws were allocated to each of four 4 × 4 Latin squares and one straw in each square was also supplemented with either barley grain (average 169 g per head day −1) or cottonseed cake (average 130 g per head day −1). Organic matter intakes (OMI) for the seven varieties ranged from 31.0 to 45.9 g kg −0.75 day −1 and were correlated ( P < 0.05) with straw yield ( r = 0.82) and days from sowing to maturity ( r = 0.78). Organic matter digestibility (OMD) ranged from 43.0 to 47.7% and was less important that voluntary intake in determining straw feeding value. For the landrace, straw OMI and OMD were 47.5 g kg −0.75 day −1 and 49.8%, respectively. Supplementation with barley grain improved straw OMI from 34.9 to 41.7 g kg −0.75 day −1 for a two-rowed variety ( P < 0.05) but did not significantly improve OMI of straw from three 6-rowed varieties. Cottonseed cake supplementation improved straw OMI for all four varieties tested ( P < 0.05) but OMI was significantly lower ( P < 0.05) for one six-rowed variety (43.5 g kg −0.75 day −1) compared with the three other varieties (55.6, 54.4 and 55.7 g kg −0.75 day −1). These results suggest the presence of variety × supplementation interactions for straw OMI. Within the barley/sheep farming system practiced in semi-arid areas of west Asia the selection of barley varieties with superior grain yield and straw quality could have an important impact on sheep production.

The use of a cellulase technique to predict digestibility, metabolizable and net energy of forages

With samples of 24 maize silages, 21 grass silages and 18 grass hays the 2N HCl-cellulase-pepsin method and several versions of the pepsin-cellulase method were compared for their accuracy in predicting in vivo organic matter digestibility. The rumen fluid-pepsin in vitro method was used as reference. As none of the tested methods proved to be the best for all forage types, the procedure with the best uniformity was chosen for further study. It was originally developed for concentrates and includes three steps: (1) pepsin in 0.1 N HCl at 40°C for 24 h; (2) heating the same solution at 80°C for 45 min to hydrolyse starch; (3) cellulase (from Trichoderma viride) at 40°C for 24 h. With this technique cellulase-digestible organic matter of the dry matter ( DOMD) was determined on 50 maize silages, 50 grass silages, 24 grass hays and 16 straws for which composition and digestibility in vitro and in vivo were known. By means of linear regression analysis prediction equations for in vivo DOMD, metabolizable and net energy were derived. The best equations for net energy based on cellulase DOMD showed coefficients of variation of 3.3, 4.2 and 2.6% for maize silage, grass silage and grass hay, respectively, and of 2.7, 3.5 and 2.6%, respectively, for those based on in vitro DOMD. Prediction of feeding value of straw was very imprecise. In spite of the slightly lower accuracy, the cellulase technique selected has operational advantages over the rumen-fluid in vitro method for routine feed evaluation.

Yield and potential feeding value of straws of grain sorghum cultivars developed in Nigeria

The yield and quality of the leaf and stalk fractions of the straw and grain yield from various sorghum cultivars developed at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria were examined over 2 years. Yield [tonnes dry matter (DM) ha −1] ranged from 0.4 to 2.9 for grain, 1.0 to 2.0 for leaf and 2.7 to 8.9 for stalk. Leaf crude protein (CP), soluble carbohydrate, total phenolics and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were generally higher than those for stalks. Most of the differences in yield were not statistically significant. No significant correlations could be established between grain yield and leaf or stalk yield of the residual straw. The selection of cultivars with a tendency for high grain yield, like the SSH series, will not adversely affect the residue leaf or stalk yield and quality. Early harvesting of residues is, however, to be encouraged.

The feeding value of straw from different genotypes of barley when given to Awassi sheep

ABSTRACTBarley straw constitutes up to half of the dry-matter intake of Awassi sheep in areas of Syria where the rainfall is 200 to 350 mm. The genotype of barley planted could therefore, through the nutritive value of its straw, significantly affect flock production levels. Selection of suitable barley genotypes may have greater economic potential as a means of improving roughage feeding quality in these areas than chemical or physical processing.The voluntary intake and digestibility of the unsupplemented straw of three genotypes of barley was evaluated with Awassi castrated male sheep. The voluntary organic-matter (OM) intakes of handharvested Beecher, Arabic Abied and ER/Apam straw were 22·2, 34·7 and 27·0 g/kg M0·75 per day and OM digestibility coefficients were 0·39, 0·44 and 0·42. The factors affecting voluntary intake and digestibility appeared to be the proportions of leaf and stem. Beecher straw had less leaf and more stem than the other two genotypes. The chemical composition and in vitro cellulase digestibility of the leaf indicated that it had a higher potential feeding value than stem.ER/Apam appears to be an example of a genotype which under dry environmental conditions combines higher barley grain yields with more acceptable straw feeding value than several other genotypes evaluated.

Aqueous ammonia treatment of wheat straw: Voluntary intake and digestibility in cattle

Three experiments were conducted using yearling cattle weighing 235–349 kg with straw treated with aqueous ammonia (ca. 30 g NH 3 per kg straw) in plastic covered stacks. In all experiments ammoniation approximately doubled the nitrogen (N) content of straws and increased straw intake and digestibility. The chromic oxide marker technique was used to determine digestibility. In Experiment 1, daily intakes of straw dry matter (DM) and digestibility of the organic matter (OMD) of untreated and ammoniated wheat straws (cultivar ‘Bounty’) at 4.4 and 5.5 kg, and 0.43 and 0.55, respectively, were greater than those of barley straw (mixture of 3 cultivars) at 4.2 and 4.9 kg, and 0.40 and 0.50, respectively. A soya bean meal supplement had no effect on intake or digestibility of untreated straws. In Experiment 2, daily DM intake and OMD of untreated, wheat straw (‘Armada’) and the same straw treated with aqueous ammonia in a plastic covered stack or anhydrous ammonia in an “Andashstra-verter” oven were 4.3, 4.7 and 4.8 kg and 0.44, 0.50 and 0.55, respectively. In a third experiment there were significant differences in intake, but not digestibility, between straws of three wheat cultivars (‘Avalon’, ‘Flanders’ and ‘Armada’) before and after ammoniation. It is concluded that the effect of treatment of straw with aqueous ammonia by the stack method on the feeding value of straw was more variable than expected and may be related to differences between cultivars.

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treated winter wheat straw in complete diets for early lactation dairy cows

It is important that lactating dairy cows have at least forage continuosly available to them if milk yields and health are to be maintained.Shortfalls in silage stocks have to be made up by purchasing, possibly hay. brewers grains or such like. Another alternative is to feed more compound, this reduces the demand for silage but is obviously, costly.Untreated straw is rarely considered as an alternative because of its low feed value. Methods of improving the feed value of straw with alkalis have long been available. However, improvements in feed values are variable although specific methods of treatment are recognised as giving consistently good results.Ammonia treatment, leaves straw in its long form which is unsuitable for feeding in forage box or complete diet systems. Effective chopping and distribution of NaOH and consistent improvements in straw digestibility can be acheived with machines now available. Not only is the product palatable and easy to include in complete feeds but claims are made that, because its inclusion’ increases intake of the ration, milk yields will also increase,

Ammonia-treated straw in the feeding of dairy cows and growing cattle

In recent years much attention has been paid in Finland to the improvement of the feeding value of straw by ammonia. In an 11-week trial milk cows were fed untreated barely straw, ammonia-treated straw or hay ad libitum, grass silage at 30 kg per day and barely meal and protein concentrate according to milk yield. The intakes of untreated straw, treated straw and hay were 1.1, 1.4 and 3.4 kg DM per day and milk yields (4%) 16.7, 16.4 and 17.7 kg per day, respectively. In the succeeding trial of 8 weeks the same feeds were used but the amount of silage was decreased to 20 kg per day. The intake of untreated straw DM was 3.5 kg, treated straw 3.1 kg and hay 5.9 kg per day. The milk yields (4%) were 21.6, 20.9 and 21.4 kg, respectively. In a trial with growing cattle the diet included straw, barley meal and pr otein concentrate. The average daily intakes of untreated and treated barley straw from the age of 101 days to 381 days were 0.9 and 0.9 kg DM and live weight gains 1066 and 1092 g per day, respectively. In another trial from the age of 83 days to 363 days the animals consumed untreated barley straw 1.6 and treated straw 1.7 kg DM per day, and the live weight gains were 893 and 973 g per day, respectively.

Evaluation of the Feeding Value of Straw

(1978). Evaluation of the Feeding Value of Straw. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 10-16.