Replacing ground maize (GM) with steam-rolled maize typically increases feed efficiency in maize-silage-based diets. However, little is known about optimal carbohydrate supplementation in sugarcane silage-based diets. The objective was to quantify the effect of partially replacing GM with steam-rolled maize (SRM) or pelleted citrus pulp (PCP) at two concentrate levels (600 or 800 g/kg DM) in sugarcane-based diets on feeding behaviour, performance and blood parameters of finishing Nellore bulls. One hundred and eight young bulls were allocated to 36 pens in a randomized block design and fed for 84 d. Feeding 800 g/kg concentrate decreased time spending eating and ruminating, but improved G:F ratio, hot carcass weight and carcass dressing, compared to 600 g/kg concentrate. Bulls fed SRM and PCP diets with 600 g/kg concentrate had lower intake compared to GM. Both final weight and average daily gain decreased when bulls were fed PCP and SRM with 600 g/kg concentrate compared to GM diets, and when fed with PCP and 800 g/kg concentrate. Substituting PCP for GM decreased gain efficiency, carcass weight, rumination time and intake efficiency, indicating that the bulls consumed less feed per hour spent eating. Substituting SRM for GM increased backfat thickness and blood urea concentration. In conclusion, the replacement of GM with PCP reduces intake and enhances selection against large particles, decreasing rumination, performance and final carcass weight and dressing. Replacement of GM with SRM increases blood urea and fat deposition, with no impact on performance.

Preservation of moist grain anaerobically by so-called crimping has many advantages. Generally, preservation has been successfully performed when grain is harvested at 30–40% moisture content (MC). However, there is a trend towards using drier than the optimal MC of the raw material. This leads to an increasing need to control aerobic spoilage of the material and also to experimental challenges in assessing the quality and stability of low-MC crimped grain. The objective of the current work was to evaluate fermentation quality, microbial composition and aerobic stability (AS) of drier than the optimal crimped grain ensiled with different additives and to use these materials to compare three different AS evaluation methods. Crimped wheat grain with 28% MC was ensiled using eight additive treatments based mainly on formic and propionic acids including a control without any additive. The low MC resulted in no lactic acid fermentation, but significant ethanol formation occurred in the control. The treatments used resulted in clear differences in microbial quality and AS of the feeds, and use of formic and propionic acid-based additives provided a clear benefit in improving the AS of crimped wheat grain. The correlation between increasing temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) production under aerobic conditions was very close, indicating that CO2 produced by aerobic bacteria can be used as a method of evaluating AS. Visual inspection of mould growth resulted in somewhat different ranking of the treatments.

The objective of this meta-analysis study was to develop and validate equations estimated from in situ and in vitro methods to predict in vivo ruminal digestibility of organic matter (OM) of beef cattle diets. The database was composed of individual data of 23 diets from six experiments. Information collected from these studies was: in vivo digestibility and degradation parameters of OM calculated from in situ and in vitro incubations. The values of estimated times for the in situ and in vitro incubations to access in vivo digestibility of OM, and differences between degradation at 24, 48 and 72 h (in situ and in vitro) and in vivo digestibility were analysed in a model that included the fixed effects of forage neutral detergent fibre level. Thereafter, a multiple stepwise regression was carried out using OM digestibility as a dependent variable and degradation parameters (A = water-soluble fraction; B = potentially degradable water-insoluble fraction; and kd = degradation rate of fraction B) as independent variables. Equation validation was performed using data from a seventh experiment that have the same methods than previous studies. Stepwise regression results showed that the kd contributed significantly in most of the algorithms derived to predict in vivo digestibility. Validation analysis showed that equations developed from both in vitro and in situ incubations accurately estimated the in vivo digestibility of OM (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that equations developed to estimate OM digestibility showed both precision and accuracy; however, in situ method presented better results than in vitro.

In alpine regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China, perennial vetch (Vicia unijuga A. Br.) productivity is often low and variable, constrained by the cold and erratic precipitation environment. The aim of the current study was to identify the soil-environmental modifications needed in harsh alpine environmental conditions for improvement of perennial vetch growth, forage biomass production and seed yield. A 3-year field experiment was conducted in an alpine region of China to evaluate the effects of modified soil temperature and moisture conditions generated by three mulching treatments – plastic film mulching (FM), removal of plastic film mulching at the 30% flowering stage and barley straw mulching – on perennial vetch productivity. Higher mean soil temperature and soil water content were recorded in the FM treatment than in the control and other treatments. This enhanced perennial vetch growth, as indicated by higher photosynthetic rate, higher leaf area index and greater above-ground dry matter, and thus higher seed yield and water productivity. Examination by multiple linear regression showed the relative contribution of mean soil temperature to the variations in photosynthetic rate, above-ground dry matter and seed yield were greater than soil water content, whereas the reverse occurred in seeds/pod. In conclusion, the FM treatment provided adequate soil temperature and water resources to improve photosynthetic rate, above-ground dry matter, seed yield and water productivity, and thus increased the productivity potential for perennial vetch in the alpine region. The current research provides scientific support for large-scale perennial vetch cultivation and management in alpine regions.

Quantifying reasonable crop yield gaps and determining potential regions for yield improvement can facilitate regional plant structure adjustment and promote crop production. The current study attempted to evaluate the yield gap in a region at multi-scales through model simulation and farmer investigation. Taking the winter wheat yield gap in the Huang-Huai-Hai farming region (HFR) for the case study, 241 farmers’ fields in four typical high-yield demonstration areas were surveyed to determine the yield limitation index and attainable yield. In addition, the theoretical and realizable yield gap of winter wheat in 386 counties of the HFR was assessed. Results showed that the average field yield of the demonstration plots was 8282 kg/ha, accounting for 0.72 of the potential yield, which represented the highest production in the region. The HFR consists of seven sub-regions designated 2.1–2.7: the largest attainable yield gap existed in the 2.6 sub-region, in the southwest of the HFR, while the smallest was in the 2.2 sub-region, in the northwest of the HFR. With a high irrigated area rate, the yield gap in the 2.2 sub-region could hardly be reduced by increasing irrigation, while a lack of irrigation remained an important limiting factor for narrowing the yield gap in 2.3 sub-region, in the middle of the HFR. Therefore, a multi-scale yield gap evaluation framework integrated with typical field survey and crop model analysis could provide valuable information for narrowing the yield gap.

A completely randomized experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of α-amylase (AMY) and glucoamylase (GLU) on total losses, fermentative profile, chemical composition and amylolytic activity of rehydrated maize. Eighty-four experimental silos of rehydrated maize [0.33 litres/kg ground maize, 4-mm theoretical particle size, and 625 g/kg dry matter (DM)] were assigned to the following treatments: (1) control (CON), no enzyme addition; (2) GLU added at 300 µl/kg of ground maize (as-fed); and (3) AMY added at 300 µl/kg of ground maize. Seven silos from each treatment were opened after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Differences among treatments were evaluated through orthogonal contrasts (CON v. enzymes, and AMY v. GLU). Time effects were decomposed using polynomial regression. Glucoamylase silage exhibited greater total losses than AMY. Enzymes increased acetate and lactic acid concentrations and decreased ethanol concentration. Regardless of treatment, gas, effluent and total fermentative losses linearly increased, whereas DM recovery linearly decreased with higher storage length. Glucoamylase silage had lower ammonia nitrogen and higher lactic acid concentrations than AMY. Enzyme treatments decreased silage neutral detergent fibre content and increased in vitro DM degradation. Glucoamylase silage exhibited a more moderate starch content and greater in vitro DM degradation than AMY. Storage time linearly decreased DM, starch and fibre content of rehydrated maize. In vitro degradation of DM linearly increased as the storage length increased. This study showed evidence that enzymes with amylolytic activity, particularly GLU, improve the fermentative profile and DM degradation of rehydrated maize silage.

The current work studied the effects of butyric acid (BA) supplementation on the growth performance, carcase characteristics, immunity, gut histology and serum biochemistry of broiler chicken. Four experimental diets were formulated: control, 20 mg bacitracin methylene di-salicylate/kg diet (BMD-supplemented), 3 g BA/kg diet and 4 g BA/kg diet. The results revealed higher body weight gain (BWG) in BA and BMD-supplemented groups. Only BMD supplementation increased the feed intake (FI) of birds, whereas BA supplementation improved feed efficiency. Expression of glucose transporter (GLUT5), sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) and peptide transporter (PepT1) were up-regulated due to BMD and BA supplementation. However, at 21 days post-hatching SGLT1 expression in the BMD-supplemented group was down-regulated with respect to the BA-supplemented groups. The 4 g BA/kg diet yielded better humoral and cell-mediated immune responses than the other groups. No dietary effects were observed on carcase characteristics and histomorphometry of jejunum at 7 days post-hatching. However, at 42 days old, the 4 g BA/kg diet increased villus length and width significantly. There was a significant increase in serum protein, albumin, creatinine, aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), phosphorus and calcium due to BA supplementation. However, the reverse trend was observed in serum uric acid and cholesterol, where BA supplementation decreased both and BMD supplementation decreased uric acid levels only. Based on the results it was concluded that 4 g BA/kg diet supplementation in feed is optimal for desirable broiler production.

In the present study, an effective secondary selection of transgressive variants from a homozygous population of Pusa Sugandh 3 (PS3) has led to the development of basmati variant SKUA 494. SKUA 494 exhibited a grain yield (7.9 t/ha) with superiority of 21.5% over its progenitor (6.5 t/ha). Besides, the genotype revealed an earliness of about 13 and 15 days for flowering and maturity, respectively. Hulling, milling and head rice recovery traits of SKUA 494 were comparatively better over the controls PS3 and Pusa Basmati 1509. No significant differences in the cooking quality were observed in SKUA 494 over its parental line. Quality traits of SKUA 494 revealed an intermediate score for alkali spreading value, besides similar values for gel consistency and amylose content in comparison to PS3. On the basis of stability variables, stability index and overall mean for most of the traits, SKUA 494 depicted stable performance across the locations and over the years. Molecular analysis based on simple sequence repeat markers revealed polymorphism at locus flanking the quantitative trait loci for days to heading (Hd6) between SKUA 494 and its parent (PS3). Based on overall superiority in the performance and adaptability of SKUA 494, the variety has been recommended to farmers for general cultivation under temperate ecology.

Visceral organs play an important role in animals' energy requirements, so their growth must be well understood. The objective of the current study was to fit and compare growth curves that best describe body and visceral organ growth over time in Saanen goats of different sexes. Data were synthesized from seven studies in which curves were fitted to visceral organ growth over time for female, intact male and castrated male Saanen goats from 5 to 45 kg body weight. The liver, pancreas, spleen, rumen–reticulum, omasum, abomasum, small intestine, large intestine and mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) data were fitted to eight models: simple linear regression, quadratic, monomolecular, Brody, Von Bertalanffy, logistic, Gompertz and Richards. The best-fit model was chosen based on the corrected Akaike information criterion and the concordance correlation coefficient. Model parameters for each sex were compared. Overall, the model that best described visceral organ growth was the logistic model. Sex did not influence the parameters that predicted organ growth (g), except for MAT, where females presented a lower tissue deposition rate and greater inflection point than males. Irrespective of sex, at the beginning of the growth curve, the liver accounted for 28 ± 1.1 g/kg of empty body weight, and the inflection point occurred at 1.7 months. The rumen–reticulum and large intestine presented higher growth rates in the first 2 months of life. Knowledge of the visceral organ growth curve is useful in improving the understanding of the effect of nutritional requirements for goats and must be used to optimize the nutritional plans.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing different amounts of daidzein in a diet on the growth performance, blood biochemical parameters and meat quality of finishing beef cattle. Thirty finishing Xianan steers were distributed in three groups equilibrated by weight and fed three different dietary treatments (concentrate ratio = 80%): (1) control; (2) 500 mg/kg daidzein and (3) 1000 mg/kg daidzein, respectively. Steers were slaughtered after an 80-day feeding trial. Results showed that daidzein supplementation had no effect on the final body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion rate of steers. Steers fed with 1000 mg/kg daidzein had greater dry matter intake than those fed with control diets. Compared with the control group, the 1000 mg/kg daidzein group had a higher fat thickness, lower shear force and lightness. The pH, drip loss, cooking loss, redness (a*), yellowness (b*), moisture, ash, crude protein and intramuscular fat of the Longissimus dorsi muscle were unaffected by daidzein supplementation. Compared with the control group, the 1000 mg/kg daidzein group significantly increased the serum concentrations of insulin, free fatty acid and Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase. The 500 mg/kg daidzein group significantly increased the serum concentration of tetraiodothyronine compared with the control group. Supplemental daidzein did not affect the blood antioxidant ability and blood immune parameters in serum. In conclusion, daidzein supplementation above 500 mg/day modifies feed intake and metabolic and hormonal profile, with positive and negative effects on meat quality.

Using legumes in forage mixes can help decrease the use of nitrogen fertilizers and possibly increase the nutritive value of pasture. The aim of the current study was to determine animal production and behavioural and ingestion parameters by evaluating the production and nutritive value of Aruana grass (Panicum maximum ‘Aruana’) intercropped with forage peanut (Arachis pintoi ‘Amarillo’) or fertilized with nitrogen. The treatments were N200 (200 kg N/ha per season – summer and winter), 100N + PE (100 kg N/ha per season plus pasture mixture with forage peanut) and N100 (100 kg N/ha per season). The presence of forage peanut in the pasture did not replace nitrogen fertilization as the pasture fertilized with 200 kg of nitrogen had a greater leaf/stem ratio (0.66 v. 0.54), stocking rate (2600 v. 2290 kg live weight/ha), average daily gain (0.880 v. 0.700 kg/day) and live weight gain (LWG) (652 v. 468 kg/ha) during summer. During winter, no effect of increased nitrogen fertilization on pasture and animal production was observed. In the total study period (summer + winter), a greater LWG (897 v. 741 kg/ha) occurred when a higher quantity of nitrogen (N200) was placed in the pasture compared to the insertion of forage peanuts in the system.

Intake in sugar-rich diets can be limited either via rumen fill or excessive rumen fermentation and source of non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) in the diet can affect both factors. The aim of the current study was to quantify the effect of partially replacing ground maize (GM) with steam-rolled maize (SRM) or pelleted citrus pulp (PCP) at two concentrate levels in sugarcane-based diets on digestibility, rumen ecosystem and metabolism of Nellore steers. Six rumen-cannulated steers were assigned to a 6 × 6 Latin square, replicated in time, in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with two levels of concentrate (600 or 800 g concentrate/kg dry matter [DM]) and three NFC sources. Each steer within a period was considered an experimental unit. Feeding more concentrate increased total tract digestibility of organic matter and decreased fibre intake and passage rate. It also reduced rumen populations of Fibrobacter succinogenes and Streptococcus bovis and increased Ruminococcus flavefaciens. Substituting PCP for GM increased rumen pH, acetic acid and organic matter digestibility. Feeding PCP also reduced R. flavefaciens and R. amylophilus rumen populations. Substituting SRM for GM increased starch digestibility and rumen propionic acid, but decreased rumen ammonia concentration. Feeding SRM increased rumen populations of Megasphaera elsdenii with the high-concentrate diet but reduced Ruminococcus albus populations at both concentrate levels. In conclusion, partial replacement of GM by PCP decreased intake in sugar-rich diets, while increasing total tract neutral detergent fibre digestibility. Replacement of GM with SRM increases rumen fermentation and total tract digestibility of starch.

The current study evaluated growth performance and digestion responses of finishing bulls fed diets containing 825 g/kg flint maize [dry matter (DM) basis] ground to medium (1.66 mm; MG) or coarse particle sizes (2.12 mm; CG), with added monensin (26 mg/kg; DM basis; MON) or a blend of essential oils (BEO) + exogenous α-amylase (AM; 90 mg/kg + 560 mg/kg commercial product, respectively, DM basis). In Expt 1, 256 Nellore bulls were blocked by initial body weight (BW) (360 ± 11.7 kg) and assigned to 48 pens in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Effect of a maize particle size × feed additive interaction was not detected for final BW, DM intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency. The DMI was greater for bulls fed BEO + AM v. MON. Final BW and ADG tended to be greater for bulls fed CG than MG maize. An interaction was detected for hot carcass weight which was 11 kg heavier for bulls fed BEO + AM v. MON in diets containing CG, but not MG particle size. In Expt 2, four ruminally cannulated Nellore steers were offered the same treatments as Expt 1, in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design. Intake of most nutrients was greater for steers fed CG than steers fed MG maize. In summary, feeding bulls CG maize increased growth performance and carcass characteristics compared with MG. The combination of BEO + AM resulted in heavier carcass weights compared with MON supplementation when included in diets containing CG maize.

Heat stress, especially in countries with hot climates, is a major cause of low fertility in high-producing dairy herds. Management strategies are needed to help producers improve the reproductive performance of their dairy animals under such conditions. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of pre- and post-milking insemination on the conception rate (CR) in dairy cows. The dataset included 1294 insemination records leading to pregnancy in 708 lactating Holstein dairy cows. The GLIMMIX model procedure of SAS based on the generalized linear mixed model methodology was used to analyse the results of insemination (success or failure) as a binomial distribution with the logit link function. Differences were observed in CRs between pre- and post-milking insemination. The pregnancy odds ratio (OR) for post-milking insemination relative to that for pre-milking one was estimated at 1.90 [1.23‒2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI)]. Different levels of interaction were obtained between average daily milk production and time of insemination. In the high-producing group, the pregnancy OR for the post-milking relative to that for the pre-milking insemination was estimated at 3.53 (2.00‒6.24; 95% CI). A significant interaction effect was obtained between insemination time and the temperature-humidity index. A pregnancy OR of 2.52 (1.22‒4.14; 95% CI) was recorded for the cows inseminated after milking on days with higher levels of heat and humidity stress v. the pre-milking inseminated ones. Based on the results, post-milking insemination of high-producing cows increased CRs, especially on days with high heat and humidity stress.

The effects of growing pinto peanut mixed with elephant grass-based pastures are still little known. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the performance of herbage yield, nutritive value of forage and animal responses to levels of pinto peanut forage mass mixed with elephant grass in low-input systems. Three grazing systems were evaluated: (i) elephant grass-based (control); (ii) pinto peanut, low-density forage yield (63 g/kg of dry matter – DM) + elephant grass; and (iii) pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield (206 g/kg DM) + elephant grass. The experimental design was completely randomized with the three treatments (grazing systems) and three replicates (paddocks) in split-plot grazing cycles. Forage samples were collected to evaluate the pasture and animal responses. Leaf blades of elephant grass and the other companion grasses of pinto peanut were collected to analyse the crude protein, in vitro digestible organic matter and total digestible nutrients. The pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield + elephant grass treatment was found to give the best results in terms of herbage yield, forage intake and stocking rate, as well as having higher crude protein contents for both elephant grass and the other grasses, followed by pinto peanut with low-density forage yield + elephant grass and finally elephant grass alone. Better results were found with the grass–legume system for pasture and animal responses.

Terminal heat stress leads to sizeable yield loss in late-sown wheat in tropical environments. Several synthetic compounds are known to counteract plant stress emanating from abiotic factors. A field experiment was conducted in Sabour (eastern India) during 2013–2016 to investigate the field efficacy of two synthetic compounds, calcium chloride (CaCl2) and arginine, for improving grain yield of two contrasting wheat cultivars (DBW 14 and K 307) facing terminal heat stress. For this, foliar spray of 18.0 mM CaCl2 at booting (CCB) or anthesis (CCA), 9.0 mM CaCl2 at both booting and anthesis (CCB+A), 2.5 mM arginine at booting (ARGB) or anthesis (ARGA) and 1.25 mM arginine at both booting and anthesis (ARGB+A) treatments along with no-spray and water-spray treatments were evaluated in late-sown wheat. The highest grain yield was recorded in treatment CCB+A, followed by CCA and ARGB+A. However, the effect of these compounds was marginal on grain yield when applied only at the booting stage. Grains/ear and thousand-grain weight were found to be the critical determinants for yield in late-sown wheat. During the anthesis to grain filling period, flag-leaf chlorophyll degradation and increase in relative permeability in no-spray treatment were 34–36% and 29–52%, respectively, but these values were reduced considerably in CCB+A treatment followed CCA. Thus, foliar spray of 9.0 mM CaCl2 both at booting and anthesis stages may be recommended for alleviating the negative impacts of terminal heat stress in late-sown wheat and improving its productivity (>13%).

Since behavioural adjustments are an important line of defence against thermal stress, either due to their energy efficiency or to efficiency at preventing overheating, we aimed to evaluate whether broilers fed different maize particle sizes adjusted their behaviour to deal with heat stress challenges. At several times a day, the behaviour of 220 naked neck broilers was evaluated. These broilers were fed with isonutritive diets containing maize with different geometric mean diameters (GMD): 605 and 2280 μm. The thermal environment was monitored during the experiment. Panting and open wings were the only behaviours that showed differences between the times of day (P < 0.05). However, GMD showed a significant effect on feed intake and panting (P < 0.05). The interaction between GMD and time of day was significant only on panting (P < 0.05). Although no daily variation was observed, the highest feed intake was observed in broilers fed the diet containing maize with a GMD of 2280 μm. Less than 5% of the broilers were observed drinking water during the day. Open wings was the behavioural adjustment most used by broilers from 10:00 h, and remained elevated until 14:00 h for both GMDs. The birds panted more when fed the diet containing maize with a GMD of 2280 μm. In conclusion, broilers adjust their behaviour to dissipate excess body heat from the environment and as a result of feed intake. Coarse particles of maize in the diet increase the thermal challenge of broilers since the environment also provides stressful thermal conditions.

KRTAP8-1 was the initial high-glycine-tyrosine keratin-associated protein gene recognized in sheep, but little is known about the functional influence of this gene. The current study used polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism analysis to genotype KRTAP8-1 in 391 Southdown × Merino-cross sheep from six sire-lines. Five previously described variants (named A to E) of KRTAP8-1 were identified with frequencies of 67.0, 14.2, 7.0, 10.7 and 1.0%, respectively. Of the four variants (A, B, C and D) that occurred at a frequency greater than 5%, the presence of C was found to be associated with a reduction in mean fibre curvature (MFC) and the presence of D was associated with an increase in mean staple strength (MSS), whereas the presence of A had a trend of association with reduced MSS. Associations were not identified with other wool traits. These results suggest that variation in KRTAP8-1 affects MSS and MFC, and that KRTAP8-1 has the potential to be used as a genetic marker for improving these traits.

The current study was carried out to examine the effect of cottonseed processing and chitosan supplementation on lamb performance, digestibility and nitrogen digestion. Eighty uncastrated Santa Inês lambs (23 ± 2.2 kg average weight, 4 months old) were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement that consisted of two cottonseed processing forms (whole or ground) and two chitosan levels (0 or 136 mg/kg live weight). Higher dry matter and organic matter apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) was achieved with the diets containing the whole cottonseed. Ether extract ADC was higher in the animals fed the chitosan-containing diet. There was an interaction effect on the ADC of neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein, which increased with chitosan inclusion associated with the whole cottonseed. The lambs that received the treatment containing the whole cottonseed showed higher microbial protein synthesis. Chitosan addition increased nitrogen retention. The animals fed chitosan-containing diets showed higher microbial protein synthesis. There was an interaction effect on microbial protein synthesis. Whole cottonseed associated with chitosan in lamb diets increases ether extract ADC and microbial protein synthesis.

Olive cake (OC) and cactus cladodes (CCs) are two alternative feed resources widely available in Mediterranean areas. Their use in ruminant diets was assessed according to their chemical composition, secondary compound levels and digestibility. The effects of the olive oil extraction period and process, and CCs age and sampling period were evaluated. OC was collected monthly, from November to January, from mills using either a mechanical press or 2-phase or 3-phase centrifugation processes. CCs were collected fortnightly according to age (young and mature) from April to June. Two-phase OC had the lowest content of dry matter (DM), the highest nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and total and hydrolysable tannins and was more rapidly fermentable. Mechanical press OC was the least digestible. OC DM, protein and NFE were affected linearly by the extraction period. Gas production (GP), in vitro digestibility parameters and dry and organic enzymatic digestibility changed with the extraction period. Therefore, OC chemical composition and in vitro digestibility depended mainly on the extraction process and period. Compared to mature CCs , young CCs contained more water, protein, ether-extract and phenolic compounds, but less ash and fibre. GP and digestibility parameters were not affected by age, but in vitro organic matter digestibility and microbial biomass production were higher in young cladodes. CCs chemical composition, GP and digestibility parameters were influenced by the collection period. Due to its limited nutritional quality, OC should be enriched in nitrogen, while CCs could be considered as highly valuable forage in ruminant diet.