Publication Date:
1971-04-01
Description:
SUMMARYThe relationship between digestibility (% DOMD in-vitro)and voluntary drymatter intake of a range of grasses conserved as artificially dried grass, has been studied in two experiments with reference to growth stage, percentage of leaf, stem and dead material, number of days to harvest and dry-matter yield.In the first experiment digestibility accounted for 69% of the variation in intake during first growth and differences were established between varieties of the same and of different species in (a) intake at similar levels of digestibility and (6) the rate of change of intake per unit change of digestibility. In the second experiment differences in intake were established between varieties, within and between first growth and regrowth, when compared at a similar level of digestibility.The variation in intake between varieties at a similar level of digestibility was not correlated with stage of growth or percentage leaf, stem and dead material in either first growth or regrowth. However, number of days to harvest and to a lesser extent, dry-matter yield, were associated with this variation, but only in first growth.regrowths of grasses generally resulted in higher intakes than first growths, but the varietal variation in intake was not correlated between growths.
Print ISSN:
0021-8596
Electronic ISSN:
1469-5146
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
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