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Effect of stage of growth and conservation procedure on the ruminal n degradability of perennial ryegrass

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2017

R C Siddons ,
J Paradine ,
V de Faria  and
J M Wilkinson
R C Siddons
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grasslandand, Animal Production Hurley Research Station, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
J Paradine
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grasslandand, Animal Production Hurley Research Station, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
V de Faria
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grasslandand, Animal Production Hurley Research Station, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
J M Wilkinson
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grasslandand, Animal Production Hurley Research Station, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
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Extract

The N fraction of fresh grasses, silages and hays is generally considered to be extensively degraded in the rumen. However published N degradability values for each type of material vary over quite a wide range. This may, at least in part, be due to an effect of the stage of growth of the harvested material since with increasing maturity there are marked changes in chemical composition and botanical features. Accordingly the ruminal N degradability characteristics of perennial ryegrass, harvested at different stages of growth and conserved as hay or silage, were determined using the polyester bag procedure.

Crops of young primary growth (C1), first regrowth (C2) second regrowth (C3) and mature primary growth (C4) were harvested from a field of perennial ryegrass c.v.S23. For each crop the fresh grass was stored frozen, conserved as field-cured hay and conserved by ensiling in laboratory silos either directly or after wilting and in both cases with or without formic acid addition (3l/tonne). The silos were opened after 90d and the silages subsequendy stored frozen.

Type
Silage Feeding
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1990 , March 1990 , pp. 140
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1990

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