Neutral Detergent Fiber Values Research Articles

Yield and nutritive value of Urochloa hybrids at different regrowth ages

Objective: To evaluate the productive behavior of Urochloa hybrids, depending on the regrowth age.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was carried out under rainfed conditions during 2018. The Cayman, Mulato II, Convert 330, Cobra, Camello I, and Camello II hybrids were evaluated based on the regrowth age (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks). The following variables were evaluated: plant height (PH), total dry matter (TDM) yield, dry matter per leaf (DMl) yield, dry matter per stem (DMs) yield, crude protein content (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The data obtained were evaluated by means of a randomized complete block design with three repetitions, divided into plots: a large plot for the cultivars and small plot for the regrowth ages.
 Results: The Camello II cultivar obtained the highest TDM yields during the sixth and eighth weeks (4.15 and 6.35 t DM ha-1, respectively); however, during the tenth week, the yield was equal to the yield obtained with the Mulato II and Cayman cultivars (p<0.05). The highest DMl yield was obtained by the Mulato II cultivar during the sixth, eighth, and tenth weeks (3.37, 4.56, and 3.86 t DM ha-1, respectively). The Mulato II cultivar recorded the highest CP values during the second and fourth weeks (158 and 126 g kg-1, respectively); however, the Camello II cultivar obtained the highest CP values during the sixth, eighth, and tenth weeks (99, 95, and 87 g kg-1, respectively). The NDF and ADF values increased as the regrowth age increased: in the tenth week, the Camello II and Cobra cultivars obtained the highest NDF values, while the Camello II cultivar recorded the highest ADF value during the same period.
 Study Limitations/Implications: Urochloa cultivars were developed for their establishment in humid tropical conditions, where their productive performance is greater. However, in dry tropical conditions, the Cayman, Mulato II, and Cobra cultivars have had a better performance than other grasses —such as buffel grass (Pennisetum ciliare), which is used to feed ruminants. In this sense, other Urochloa cultivars (e.g., Camello I and Camello II), which have greater tolerance to droughts, show desirable forage characteristics, such as yield and forage quality.
 Findings/Conclusions: The cultivars with the best productive performance were Camello II, Mulato II, and Cayman.

KANDUNGAN ACID DETERGENT FIBER (ADF) DAN NEUTRAL DETERGENT FIBER (NDF) PADA RUMPUT Brachiaria humidicola PADA UMUR DEFOLIASI BERBEDA

This study aims to determine the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) of Brachiaria humidicola grass at different depoliation ages. This research is a pure experiment using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) method with three treatments (40 days, 50 days and 60 days) and three replications. The results showed that depoliation age had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the NDF and ADF content of Brachiaria humidicola grass with NDF values ranging from 64.20% to 65.49%, while ADF values ranged from 36.75% to 43.99%.

Analysis of Rumen Degradation Characteristics, Attached Microbial Community, and Cellulase Activity Changes of Garlic Skin and Artemisia argyi Stalk.

The purpose of this study was to study the chemical composition, rumen degradation characteristics, surface attached microbial community and cellulase activity of garlic skin (GS) and Artemisia argyi stalk (AS), in order to explain their feeding value. Four 14-month-old healthy Min Dong male goats with permanent rumen fistula were selected as experimental animals. The rumen degradation characteristics of GS and AS were determined by using the nylon bag method, and the bacterial composition, cellulase activity and their relationship on the surface of the two groups were analyzed with high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that in GS and AS, the effective degradation rate (ED) values of dry matter (DM) were 42.53% and 37.12%, the ED values of crude protein (CP) were 37.19% and 43.38%, the ED values of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were 36.83% and 36.23%, and the ED values of acid detergent fiber (ADF) were 33.81% and 34.77%. During rumen degradation, the richness and evenness of bacteria attached to the AS surface were higher. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were always the main rumen bacteria in the two groups. At the genus level, fiber-degrading bacteria such as Prevotella, Treponema, and Ruminococcus showed higher levels in GS (p < 0.05). Compared with GS, the activity of β-glucosidase (BG enzyme), endo-β-1,4-glucanase (C1 enzyme), exo-β-1,4-glucanase (Cx enzyme) and neutral xylanase (NEX enzyme) attached to AS surface showed a higher trend. Correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance of Succinivibrio and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group was positively correlated with the rumen degradability of nutrients in GS, and the relative abundance of Christensenellaceae R-7_group, Succinivibrio and Ruminococcus was positively correlated with the rumen degradability of nutrients in AS. The conclusion of this study shows that AS has more potential to become ruminant roughage than GS. In addition, this study also revealed the relationship between cellulase activity and bacteria, which provided new information for us to better analyze the effects of GS and AS on the rumen of ruminants and provided an important theoretical basis for the development and utilization of agricultural by-products.

Novel quality feed from a wasted resource: measuring the nutritional value of low-glycoalkaloids potato haulm in sheep

This study evaluated the potential of low-glycoalkaloid potato haulm (LGPH) as a high-quality feed for ruminants. The low-glycoalkaloid potato plants were grown in a net house following standard agricultural practices. Dehaulming was performed a fortnight before the harvest of the tubers, as commercially practiced. Four healthy female lambs (aged 4 months) were employed in a 4×4 Latin square feeding experiment design. The lambs were fed with either a maintenance diet consisting of 73% roughage (control), or treatment diets with supplementation of 10% (P10), 15% (P15), and 20% (P20) LGPH on a dry matter (DM) basis for a period of 21 days, including 14 days of adaption and 7 days of sampling. Refusals and feces were collected for 6 days and pooled followed by a 24 h urine collection on the 7th day. On the 6th day, an hour after morning feeding, blood, and rumen liquid samples were collected. All the samples were analysed, and the data generated were analysed using ANOVA with diet and period as fixed effects and sheep as a random effect. Orthogonal contrasts were used to detect linear and quadratic effects of LGPH in the diet. Linear or polynomial equations were produced to extract the nutrient digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME) of LGPH. No toxicological clinical signs were observed, and the haematology profiles were normal throughout the trial. LGPH did not affect the daily intake of nutrients and energy. However, the apparent digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and gross energy increased (P= 0.01) linearly (P&amp;lt; 0.01) with supplementation of LGPH in the diet. The inclusion of LGPH had a quadratic effect on neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (P= 0.027), reaching a peak of 54.8 % at 12.3 % LGPH supplement on a DM basis. The N retention in lambs fed with the P20 diet was nearly twice that of the control diet (P= 0.032; 19.1 vs. 10.2 g/d). The computed digestibility values of DM, OM, CP, and NDF for LGPH were 76.1, 79.7, 84.2, and 72.1 %, respectively, and ME was 2.62 Mcal/kg DM. Conclusively, by significantly reducing the glycoalkaloids’ content in potato haulm, we can safely repurpose the currently wasted foliage as a new source of high-quality roughage feed for ruminants, equivalent to alfalfa hay, without imposing any additional environmental burden. However, further research is necessary to assess impact of LGPH on growth performance, and milk productivity before practical application on commercial farms.

Effects of Different Harvest Stages on Forage Yield and Quality of Soybean Cultivars Grown as Second Crops

In this study, the effect of three different harvesting stages [full bloom stage (R2), full pod stage (R4), and full seed stage (R6)] on forage yield and quality of three soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars (Adasoy, Derry and Yeşilsoy) were evaluated under Mediterranean climate conditions in Adana, Türkiye in second crop seasons. Plant height, green herbage yield, dry matter yield, crude protein (CP), crude protein yield (CPY), leaf and stem ratio, dry matter intake (DMI), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestible dry matter (DDM) and relative feed value (RFV) were determined. The results showed that the average plant height of three soybean cultivars was 106.5-203.5 cm and green herbage yield was 190 42-603 50 kg ha-1. The highest values were obtained from cv. Derry at R4 and R6 harvest stages. In both years, the highest CPY values were determined from the R6 harvest stages. Obtained ADF, NDF, DMI, DDM, and RFV values were found to be between 32.8-47.1%, 41.1-59.3%, 2.0-3.6%, 52.1-63.3%, 83.0-180.2%, respectively, and the best results were obtained from the R6 harvest stage of cv. Yeşilsoy. According to these results, in second crop conditions, while cv. Derry came to the fore of soybean yield, cv. Yeşilsoy stands out in terms of quality. As a result, it is thought that it is appropriate to harvest soybean in the R6 harvest period, the use of soybean as a green herbage should be expanded and its addition to feed rations can provide positive contributions.

Gernik (Gacer, Kavılca) Buğdayı (Triticum dicoccum) ve Yan Ürünlerinin Ruminant Hayvanlar İçin Yem Değeri

Ancient wheat species attracts more attention recently due to their health benefits and suitability for organic farming. With this attention, the possibilities of using ancient wheat species and especially their by-products in animal nutrition are emerging. Unlike modern wheat varieties, emmer is known as one of the ancient wheat varieties, has hull covering its grains. Approximately 70% of the total plant weight consists of hulls and stalks. Looking at the literature, limited studies has been conducted regarding the evaluation of the hull and stalk parts of emmer wheat as feed. Herein, this study aims to determine the nutritional values of emmer wheat and its by-products. The feed value of the plant was analyzed in five parts (hulled grain, stalk of plant, hull, naked grain and flour). For each part, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether exract (EE), crude ash (CA), starch, crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent insoluble crude protein (ADICP), neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP), lignin and mineral analyzes were made. In addition, non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC), digestible dry matter (DDM), dry matter intake by animal body weight (DMIBW), total digestible nutriton (TDN1X), net energy lactation (NEL3X), metabolic energy (ME), net energy maintanence (NEM), net energy gain (NEG), energy and digestibility calculations were performed. The protein content of emmer grain was observed higher than that of modern wheat. ADF and NDF values of the emmer wheat stalks are lower than modern wheat stalks and therefore have better digestibility values. Additionally, the higher resistance to starch digestion compared to modern wheat varieties may be a reason for preference in ruminant feeding.

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.

Effects of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Stylosanthes scabra&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Forage Supplementation on &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;in Vitro&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Gas Production and Fiber Degradation of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Eragrostis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Grass Hay

Natural pastures constitute a major component of ruminant livestock feed, and are the most cost-effective feed resource available for smallholder subsistence farmers. However, this feed resource does not meet animal nutritional requirement due to deficiency in nitrogen, energy and minerals. In addition, at maturity lignification is the major concern since it reduces digestibility and contributes to methane emission. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing low-quality Eragrostis grass hay with five (9281, 11,252, 11,255, 11,595 and 11,604) selected Stylosanthes scabra accessions on in vitro ruminal fermentation and neutral detergent fiber degradation. Therefore, in vitro study was conducted on grass hay, accessions and the mixture of grass hay with each accession included at two (15%, 30%) levels. The substrates (grass hay, accessions and the mixtures) were incubated in separate serum bottles for 72 h. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the accessions ranged from 300 to 350 g/kg DM with crude protein (CP) value ranging from 177.5 to 184.1 g/kg DM. Eragrostis grass hay had NDF value of 813 g/kg DM, with CP value of 34.3 g/kg DM. Grass hay fermented slowly, it took 30 h for grass hay to produce gas volume above 50 mL, while Stylosanthes scabra accessions took 12 h. Supplementing grass hay with accessions significantly improved fermentation. However, it was observed that 15% inclusion took 30 h to produce gas volume above 50 mL, whereas at 30% inclusions it took 24 h for accession 9281, 11,595 and 11,604. Accession 11,604 improve grass fermentation by almost three times the value of grass hay in 2 h. Grass hay supplemented with accession 11,604 at 30% had a positive associative effect and significantly improved NDF degradability. In conclusion, accession 11,604 may be fed strategically as forage supplement to low-quality forage for ruminants.

Forage potential of several halophytic species grown on saline soil in arid environments

This study was carried out to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of several halophyte species grown in arid-saline environments. After identifying 44 halophytic species in the region and considering the potential of quantitative and qualitative forage production, 13 species from four families, i.e. Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Leguminosae and Convolvulaceae, and eight genera were selected for further evaluation. These species differed significantly in terms of both forage quantity, measured in terms of fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW), and forage quality assessed in terms of tissue water content (TWC), ash, nitrogen content (N), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), dry matter digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME). The highest fresh and dry weights were obtained from Suaeda ferticosa (1006.3 g and 306.3 g, respectively) and Noaea mucronata (909.3 g and 309 g, respectively). However, based on forage quality characteristics, Alhagi maurorum, Bassia scoparia, Noaea mucronata, Halostachys belangriana and Cressa cretica showed the best forage potential. Values of ash, CP, ADF, NDF and ME measured in the halophytes species ranged between 7.9% and 33.2%, 6.2% and 15.8%, 30.0% and 50.3%, 33.2% and 56.4%, 5.6 and 8.7 MJ kg−1, respectively. The forage quality of the evaluated halophytic plants was influenced by unfavorable environmental conditions such as high soil salinity and low rainfall, however, these species can be considered as new sources of forage. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to improve the quality of such halophytic species by reducing the ash content and increasing the ME.

Hydroponic forage of corn and millet grown on different organic substrates

The objective of this study was to evaluate the production and nutritive value of the hydroponic forage of corn and pearl millet grown in different organic substrates. It was carried out in a completely randomized design in 2 x 3 factorial scheme with four replications. The grasses used were corn and pearl millet and sugarcane bagasse, chopped elephant grass and chopped Brachiaria grass as substrates. The harvest was carried out 15 days after sowing, with seed density of 2 kg/m², irrigated with water and commercial nutrient solution. The productive parameters and chemical composition of the hydroponic forage were evaluated. The use of sugarcane bagasse substrate resulted in a greater production of total dry mass for corn among the other treatments, which reflected in better efficiency in the production parameters. As for substrates composed of chopped grass, lower values ​​of neutral detergent fiber were identified in both corn and pearl millet. The substrates and grass species affect the evaluated parameters, in which the use of sugarcane bagasse resulted in greater total production of dry mass using corn. The substrates based on chopped grass reflected in biomass with reduced fiber content, high levels of digestible nutrients, in addition to high protein content.

Determination of Silage Quality of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) with Oat (Avena sativa L.) and Rye (Secale cereale L.) Mixtures

In this study, it was aimed to determine the quality of silage mixtures (100:0%, 75:25%, 50:50%, 25:75% and 0:100%) of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L. cv Berkem) with oat (Avena sativa L. cv Faikbey) and rye (Secale cereale L. cv Aslım-93). Following the harvest, plants were cut in 2-3 cm sizes, filled in vacuum bags according to the mixing ratios and left for fermentation at 25±2 oC for 60 days. Physical observations (smell, structure, color), dry matter (DM), pH, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) analysis were applied to silage samples and relative feed value (RFV) was determined. According to the results obtained, the total physical score of the silages, consisting of the sum of the odor, structure and color scores, ranged between 13.30-19.75 and the physical quality of the silages was ranged between middle-very good class. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the silage DM, ADF and NDF ratios decreased, and the pH, CP and RFV values increased in parallel with the increase in the fenugreek ratio in the mixture. The DM, pH, CP, ADF, NDF and RFV values of the silages varied between 15.67-34.33%, 5.06-5.79%, 6.01-18.17%, 32.03-48.90%, 40.07-74.53% and 63.41-148.48%, respectively. As a result, it was concluded that the silage of “25% oats + 75% fenugreek” mixture was superior to the silages of other mixtures, especially when considered the chemical parameters.

The nutritive value of soybean meal from different sources for sows during mid- and late gestation.

A precise understanding of the nutritive value of soybean meal (SBM) for pregnant sow is required for accurate feeding. Hence, we evaluated the nutritive value of 11 SBM samples from different sources for sows during mid and late gestation. In total, 24 mid-gestating sows (parity three; 230.3 ± 12.0 kg on day 37 of gestation) and 24 late-gestating sows (parity three; 238.8 ± 20.9 kg on day 72 of gestation) were assigned to a replicated 12 × 3 Youden square design with 12 diets and 3 periods. The 12 diets included a corn-based diet and 11 diets containing 25.50% SBMs from different sources. After 5-d adaptation, urine and feces were collected for 5 d. Although the chemical characteristics of SBM varied between samples, no differences were observed in digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, gross energy, crude fiber, and neutral detergent fiber values in SBMs fed to both animal groups. However, de-hulled SBM 4 from Brazil displayed greater ATTD for nitrogen (N) in late-gestating sows (P < 0.05); animals displayed significantly (P < 0.01) greater ME, ME:DE ratio, and N net utilization values when compared with mid-gestating sows. The chemical composition of SBMs can be used to predict DE and ME values. In conclusion, ME, ME:DE ratio, and N net utilization SBM values for late-gestating sows were greater than in mid-gestating sows. Therefore, we should consider differences in ME values for SBMs when formulating diets for sows in mid and late gestation periods.

Yield and nutritional value of Moringa oleifera forage at different population densities

Objective: To evaluate the aerial biomass yield and nutritional value of Moringa oleifera at densities of 50,000 (D1), 100,000 (D2) and 200,000 (D3) plants ha-1. Design/methodology/approach: The experiment was established under a random complete block design arranged in divided plots and three repetitions and from 155 days after planting 5 cuts were made every 28 days. The variables evaluated were yield (kg ha-1) of total dry matter (TDM), sheet (sDM) and contents (g kg-1) of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid (ADF).&#x0D; Results: An interaction between densities and cuts was observed. In TDM performance, in cuts 1 and 2, D1 outperformed D2 and D3, by 71 % and 83 %, respectively; however, D3 had the highest TDM yield (P&lt;0.05) in cuts 3 and 4, 47 % higher than D2 and D1 and D2 by 46 % and 76 %, respectively. The highest yield of sDM was presented in D1, in cuts 1 and 2 (561 and 852 kg ha-1, respectively); while D3 showed the highest values in cuts 3 and 4, (901 and 1054 kg ha-1, respectively). When increasing from D1 to D2 there was a decrease (P&lt;0.05) in the CP content of 11 % (222 vs. 198 g kg-1). Regarding the values of NDF and ADF, no differences (P&gt;0.05) were found between the densities evaluated.&#x0D; Limitations/implications: The density of plants in Moringa oleifera determine the yield potential and nutritional value of the forage.&#x0D; Findings/conclusions: Moringa oleifera established in semi-arid conditions at a density of 50,000 ha-1 plants and with cutting intervals of 28 days, presented the best productive behavior in terms of yield and protein concentration.

THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SOWING TIMES AND HARVEST STAGES ON FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY IN BUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM MOENCH)

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different sowing times and harvest stages on the yield and forage quality of buckwheat in Marmara conditions. The experiment was carried out in Bursa Uludag University Agricultural Application and Research Area in 2018 and 2019 years using Gunes variety as plant material. The experiment was established in a split-plot randomized complete blocks design with three replicates. Four different sowing times (15 April, 1 May, 15 May and 1 June) were considered in the main plot and three different harvest stages (flowering, milk, and dough) in the sub-plot. Results showed that higher plant height, stem diameter, and dry matter yield values were obtained from the plants sown on 15 April and harvested during the milk or dough stages. The highest crude protein ratio, crude protein yield and relative feed value, and the lowest acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber values were determined in plants, which were sown early and harvested during flowering. In general, the delayed harvest stage increased the yield of buckwheat but negatively affected the forage quality.

The Production of Dual-Purpose Triticale in Arid Regions: Application of Organic and Inorganic Treatments under Water Deficit Conditions

Most of the arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in the Mediterranean area, suffer from the lack of a sufficient quantity of high-quality feed, as well as a low amount of rainfall that is unevenly distributed, resulting in the region being highly vulnerable to drought. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental station of the Faculty of Desert and Environmental Agriculture, Fuka, Matrouh University, Egypt during the winter seasons of 2018/19 and 2019/20 to study the performance of triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack), grown under water deficit conditions, in terms of productivity and quality. The study investigated the influence of five levels of potassium fertilization (PF; 0, 43.2, 86.4, 129.6, and 172.8 kg ha−1) and ascorbic acid (AA; 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L−1) that was applied to the triticale grains before sowing and humic acid (HA; 0, 2.4, 4.8, 7.2, and 9.6 kg ha−1) that was applied as powder to the soil 21 days after sowing followed by sprinkler irrigation on triticale forage and grain production when forage was removed at variable ages at cutting (AC), determined as days after sowing (AC; 40, 65, 90, 115, and 140 DAS) on forage yield and nutritive value, in addition to the final grain yield of triticale. The experimental design was a central composite design with one replicate. Results indicated that the PF*AC interaction was significant, and it gave values of 84.78 and 238.00 g kg−1 for crude protein (CP) and degraded neutral detergent fiber (DNDF). In addition, the interaction between AA and AC was significant for CP, acid detergent fiber (ADF), 100-grain weight (100 GW), number of spikes m−2 (NSM−2), and plant height (PH). Moreover, the AC*HA interaction was significant with values of 175.17 and 247.00 g kg−1 for CP and DNDF, respectively, and 0.55 t ha−1 for grain yield (GY). Age at cutting exerted the strongest effect on the studied characteristics. It was observed that the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ADF, acid detergent lignin (ADL), and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) in the triticale forage significantly increased when the crop was cut at an advanced age, unlike CP, DNDF, GY, NSM−2, 100 GW, and PH that decreased with advanced AC. The highest values of 271.00, 256.00, and 268.00 g kg−1 for DNDF were obtained with higher levels of either PF, AA, or HA, respectively. However, the highest value of GY (0.97 t ha−1) was obtained with higher levels of PF*HA averaged over the two seasons. The interaction between AA*HA resulted in 393.39, 311.00, 27.13 g kg−1, and 0.94 t ha−1, for NDF, DNDF, ADL, and GY, respectively. The highest significant NDF (413.11 g kg−1) and DNDF (307.50 g ka−1) values were obtained with the application of high levels of either AA or HA. In the dual-purpose production system, it is recommended to cut the triticale crop at 65 DAS to achieve the optimum balance between forage yield and quality on the one hand, and final grain yield on the other hand. In the arid regions, application of PF, AA, and HA could help in reducing the damage caused by water deficit.

Nutrient content and in vitro degradation study of some unconventional feed resources of Bangladesh

This study aimed to evaluate six unconventional feed resources of Bangladesh, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), banana leaves (Musa paradisiaca), roadside grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), bamboo leaves (Bambusa vulgaris Scrad), Seaweed (Hypnea sp.) and sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum griffithii). Evaluations were based on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ether extract (EE), ash content, DM and OM digestibilities and fractional rate of degradation. Two conventional feeds, i.e., rice bran and german grass, were used as the positive control. Samples (400 mg) were incubated with rumen liquor in an in vitro fermentation chamber at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h for the degradation kinetic studies. The CP contents of 10.13, 10.63, 10.21, and 8.49 % were found in seaweed, banana leaf, water hyacinth, and bamboo leaf, respectively. The NDF values ranged between 16.5 and 75.6% and ADF varied from 9.7 to 58.8% in this study. The highest value of NDF (75.6%) and ADF (58.8%) were found in sugar cane bagasse and the lowest value of NDF (16.5%) and ADF (9.7%) were as observed in seaweed. However, higher DM degradation (33.5–42.8%) was found in seaweed during the incubation periods of 24–96 h. A significant (P < 0.05) increased of OM degradation (44.9%) compared to other feed resources was also observed in seaweed at 96 h of in vitro incubation. Water hyacinth, banana leaves, german grass, and sugarcane bagasse had greater DM digestibility (32.9–36.3%) compared to roadside grass, bamboo leaves, and rice bran (24.8–29.1%). The higher total OM digestibility of seaweed found (>44.9%) can be associated with the presence of large quantities of fraction b (>39.2 %), resulting in moderate amounts of undegradable fraction (U) (57.2 %). This study provides a comparative estimate of ruminal DM and OM degradation characteristics for seaweed and some other unconventional feed resources, which might be helpful for their inclusion in the diet according to the ruminally undegraded to degraded DM and OM intake ratio.

Stylosanthes scabra: genetic variability of forage quality traits

Stylosanthes scabra Vogel is a tropical legume grown in dry tropical and subtropical environments. The objective of this research was to evaluate the genetic diversity of forage quality traits for 80 accessions of S. scabra. Seven plants from each accession were planted in a single-line plot with no replicates at Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil. All plants were harvested 90 days after planting. Crude protein (CP), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), lignin (LIG), hemicellulose (HEMIC) and cellulose (CELLU) were estimated. Data were submitted to principal component analysis (PCA) and a cluster analysis was performed to identify groups of similarity. Simpson and Shannon–Weaver diversity indices estimated the genetic diversity. The average values of CP, IVDMD, NDF, ADF, LIG, HEMIC and CELLU were 220g/kg, 560g/kg, 516.8g/kg, 368g/kg, 69.4g/kg, 148.8g/kg and 298.6g/kg, respectively. There was a significant difference among collection sites for IVDMD, ADF and CELLU. The first two principal components accounted for 73% of the total variation. The 80 accessions resulted in four clusters, among which significant differences were observed for CP, IVDMD and ADF. Group IV, with 24 accessions, had the highest CP and IVDMD concentrations and the lowest ADF concentration, being the highest-quality forage group. Diversity indices were 0.78 and 0.81 for Simpson’s and Shannon–Weaver’s, respectively. In conclusion, there is genetic diversity for forage quality traits among S. scabra.

17 Determination of Various Dietary Levels of Inorganic Zinc onin Vitro Dry Matter Disappearance of Diets Fed to Cervids as Compared to Other Established Protocols

Abstract The captive white-tailed deer breeding industry has an estimated economic impact of $1.6 billion, annually. However, nutritional requirements for cervids are determined through previous research based on sheep and goats. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology for harvesting rumen fluid from cervids for in vitro fermentation to analyze differences in dry matter disappearance with varying levels of supplemental zinc sulfate (ZnSO4). Rumen fluid was collected in conjunction with private hunts with partnership from a high fence producer. A European red hind (Cervus elaphus) and axis doe (Axis axis) were collected at separate times, each having a fermentation period utilizing the operating protocol for the Daisy incubator and A200 Fiber analyzer (Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY). The gastrointestinal tract was removed and tied at the terminal end of the esophagus and the beginning of the duodenum to prevent leakage. The tract was placed in a cooler with water at 39oC and transported to the laboratory in Huntsville, Texas. Each jar (3) served as an experimental unit, with Zn doses of 0.36, 3.6, and 36 g/d equivalents as treatments. Filter bags were filled with feed provided by the producer for the incubator prior to collection. Followed by Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) analysis with the fiber analyzer. The red deer NDF and ADF values ranged from 27.8% to 20.6% and 15.7% to 13.7% based on treatment, respectively. The axis NDF and ADF values ranged from 18.8% to 20.0% and 11.0% to 12.5% based on treatment, respectively. Previous in vitro digestibility studies conducted on sheep and cattle have produced similar NDF and ADF values with similar feed products. This preliminary study illustrated that the protocol is viable and will produce appropriate IVDMD results from NDF and ADF after in vitro rumination.

EVALUATION OF EIGHT SELECTED ETHIOPIAN INDIGENOUS FORAGE SPECIES FOR THEIR NUTRITIVE VALUES

Indigenous forage species contribute to the largest proportion of the livestock feed in Ethiopia. However, their potential as livestock feed has often been overlooked. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the nutritive value of eight selected Ethiopian indigenous forage species for their nutritive value. The experiment was undertaken using a complete randomized design at Wondogent medicinal field gene bank. Results showed that Pennisetum pedicellatum (91.72%) and Medicago polymorpha (91.68%) had significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher dry matter (DM) contents than other forage species with the exception of Medicago sativa. Ash content (15.46%) of Pennisetum pedicellatum was the highest (P&lt;0.001) of all the species except Medicago sativa, while the highest organic matter (OM) content (90.80%) was record from Medicago polymorpha. Vicia species had (P&lt;0.05) higher crude protein (CP) concentration (19.03%) than that of Medicago sativa (13.57%), Medicago lupulina (12.36%), Medicago polymorpha (11.57%) and Pennisetum pedicellatum (7.47%). The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was higher (P&lt;0.05) in Pennisetum pedicellatum (76.23%), whereas Sesbania sesban had the lowest (P&lt;0.05) NDF value except Sebania grandiflora. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) was significantly higher in Medicago lupulina (53.80%) while Sesbania sesban had lower contents of both ADF (39.42%) and ADF (34.04%). However, there was no significant variation in terms of acid detergent lignin (ADL), metabolizable energy (ME) and In vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) among these forge species. Generally, with the exception of Pennisetum pedicellatum, the moderate CP, and lower fiber content of these forage species suggest that they have high nutritional value that deserves special attention.

Evaluation of a diverse collection of red clover for forage quality and antioxidant activity

Description of the subject. Red clover is an important forage legume and a rich source of high quality forage for livestock feed. This study assesses a diverse red clover collection for agronomic value, forage quality and antioxidant activity in relation to status (cultivar vs natural population) and ploidy level (diploid or tetraploid) for the purpose of diversity study and for identification of potential heterotic groups and classification of accessions according to the results of analyses. Objectives. The aims of this research were to: i) explore agronomic traits, forage quality, and antioxidant activity in relation to status and ploidy level; ii) assess trait associations and the possibility of indirect selection; iii) cluster red clover accessions with regard to forage quality and antioxidant activity. Method. Red clover was represented by 46 accessions, the cultivars and natural populations of diploid (2n) and tetraploid (4n) ploidy levels from 17 countries, which were collected and preserved in the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia. The following traits were determined from the two-year field trial at Rimski Šančevi, Serbia: plant height (PH), internodes number (IN), green mass yield (GMY), dry matter yield (DMY), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestible dry matter (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI), relative feed value (RFV) and antioxidant activity. All accessions were characterized in the second cut of the second year of life when 20-25% of flowers appeared. Results. The cultivars had higher values for PH, IN, GMY, DMY, DDM, DMI, and RFV. The tetraploid accessions had higher values for IN, GMY, DMY, CP, NDF and DDM. The natural populations and diploid accessions had 39.9% and 21.9% smaller antioxidant capacity, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was positively associated with RFV, DDM, DMI, PH, IN, GMY and DMY, but negatively with ADF and NDF. Conclusions. The grouping of red clover accessions based on forage quality parameters and antioxidant activity was represented by five clusters. High-quality cultivars had a shorter length of internodes and a good leaf to stem ratio with a high leaf proportion.