ISSN:
1365-2494
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
The objective of this study was to compare the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and chemical composition at various cutting dates of autumn-accumulated tall fescue and orchard-grass. The effect of time on the digestibility and chemical composition of accumulated red clover was also studied.Tall fescue had significantly higher (P〈 0.01) IVDMD and total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) levels and lower crude protein (CP), acid-detergent fibre (ADF). lignin (LIG) and cellulose (CEL) levels throughout autumn and winter than orchardgrass. The effects of accumulation period were similar on both grasses; TNC concentrations increased up to November but then declined, with a large drop in levels after December while IVDMD decreased slowly in autumn and fell rapidly in December. Overall there was a significant (P〈 0.01) increase with advancing time in ADF and CEL levels in both grasses, but LIG levels declined with age in tall fescue between 15 September and 15 November, whilst there was a general increase in LIG in orchardgrass.In both tall fescue and orchardgrass IVDMD and TNC levels were higher (P〈 0.001) and CP, ADF and CEL levels lower (P〈 0.001) in the stem than in the leaf. LIG concentrations were higher in orchardgrass leaves than in the stem but the levels were similar in both fractions in tall fescue.Similar patterns of change in IVDMD and composition were evident in red clover but the legume had completely senesced by early winter.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1985.tb01758.x
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