Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-94d59 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T05:29:21.424Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Digestibility studies with cows given whole and rolled cereal grains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. Nordin
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
R. C. Campling
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
Get access

Summary

The susceptibility of whole and rolled cereal and legume seeds to microbial attack within the rumen of cows was examined by incubating seeds in nylon bags in the rumen for 24,48 and 72 hr. With whole, intact seeds the husked cereal grains were less susceptible than naked grains and legume seeds. Inter-varietal differences were observed with maize, oats and barley. Breaking the cereal grains before incubation considerably increased the losses of dry matter. Digestibility trials with non-lactating cows confirmed that barley, sorghum, wheat and oats were poorly digested when given whole, and considerable variation was recorded between individual cows in their ability to digest whole grains. Rolling the grains before feeding made the greatest improvement in digestibility with sorghum, wheat and barley and the least with oats.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1967. Recommendations ASAER 2461. Method of determining modulus of uniformity and modulus offinenessof ground feed. Yb. Amer. Soc. agric. Engrs, 1967, p. 301.Google Scholar
Balch, C. C. 1971. Proposals to use time spent chewing as an index of the extent to which diets for ruminants possess the physical property offibrousnesscharacteristic of rough-ages. Br. J. Nutr. 26: 383392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campling, R. C. and Freer, M. 1962. The effect of specific gravity and size on the mean time of retention of inert particles in the alimentary tract of the cow. Br. J. Nutr. 16: 507518.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campling, R. C., Freer, M. and Balch, C. C. 1961. Factors affecting the voluntary intake of food by cows. 2. The relationship between the voluntary intake of roughages, the amount of digesta in the reticulo-rumen and the rate of disappearance of digesta from the alimentary tract. Br. J. Nutr. 15: 531540.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christian, K. R. and Coup, M. R. 1954. Measurement of feed intake by grazing cattle and sheep. VI. The determination of chromic oxide in faeces. N.Z. Jl Sci. Technol. 36: 328330.Google Scholar
Cornett, C. D., Sherrod, L. B. and Albin, R. C. 1971. Effect of methods of processing upon digestibility of a new wheat by sheep and cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 32: 716720.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Darnell, A. L. and Copeland, O. C. 1936. Ground versus unground grain for lactating dairy cows. Bull. Tex. agric. Exp. Stn, No. 530.Google Scholar
Evans, J. L. and Colburn, M. W. 1967. Disappearance in the rumen of grain dry matter with different physical forms. J. Dairy Sci. 50: 394396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Figroid, W., Hale, W. H. and Theurer, B. 1972. An evaluation of the nylon bag technique for estimating rumen utilization of grains. J. Anim. Sci. 35: 113120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitch, J. B. and Wolberg, F. B. 1934. The utilization of Atlas and Kansas Orange sorgo seed by dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 17: 343350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraps, G. S. 1916. The composition of rice and its by-products. Bull. Tex. agric. Exp. Stn, No. 191.Google Scholar
Kawamura, O., Senshu, T., Horiguchi, M. and Matsumoto, T. 1973. Histochemical studies on the rumen digestion of rice straw cell wall and on the chemical determination of its non-nutritive residue. Tohoku J. agric. Res. 24: 183191.Google Scholar
Kent, N. L. 1966. Technology of Cereals with Special Reference to Wheat. Pergamon, Oxford.Google Scholar
Moore, P. G. and Edwards, D. E. 1965. Standard Statistical Calculations. Pitman, London.Google Scholar
Morris, J. G. 1966. Should sorghum grain be cracked for drought feeding. Qdagric. J. 92: 225226.Google Scholar
Morrison, F. B. 1956. Feeds and Feeding. 22nd ed. Morrison Publ. Co, Clinton, Iowa.Google Scholar
Nicholson, J. W. G., Gorrill, A. D. L. and Burgess, P. L. 1971. Loss in digestible nutrients when ensiled barley is fed whole. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 51: 697700.Google Scholar
Playne, M. J., McLeod, M. N. and Dekker, R. F. H. 1972. Digestion of the dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium and detergent-fibre fractions of the seed and pod of Stylosanthes humilis contained in terylene bags in the bovine rumen. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 23: 925932.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Purdy, J. L. and Crane, P. L. 1967. Influence of pericarp on differential drying rate in ‘mature’ corn (Zea mays L.). Crop Sci. 7: 379381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richardson, D. L. 1960. Pericarp thickness in popcorn. Agron. J. 52: 7780.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saba, W. J., Hale, W. H., Hubbert, F., Kiernat, J. and Taylor, B. 1964. Digestion of milo and barley by cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 23: 533536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, R. S. and Norton, H. W. 1906. Feeding whole grain. Bull. Mich, agric. Coll. Exp. Stn, No. 242, pp. 182190.Google Scholar
Watson, C. J., Davidson, W. M., Kennedy, J. W., Robinson, C. H. and Muir, G. W. 1949. Digestibility studies with ruminants. 14. The effect of plane of nutrition on the digestibility of barley. Scient. Agric. 29: 400407.Google Scholar
Wilbur, J. W. 1933. Grinding grains for dairy cows. Bull. Indiana agric. Exp. Stn, No. 372, pp. 28.Google Scholar
Wilson, G. F., Adeeb, N. N. and Campling, R. C. 1973. The apparent digestibility of maize grain when given in various physical forms to adult sheep and cattle. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 80: 259267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zink, F. J. 1935. Specific gravity and air space of grains and seeds. Agric. Engng, St Joseph, Mich. 16: 439440.Google Scholar