Prediction of silage nutritive value from chemical composition and in vitro digestibility analyses. 2, Legume and grass silage
1974
Larsen, R.E., Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legon, (Ghana)
Four legume-grass silages of varied dry matter (DM) contents were fed to non-pregnant Cheviot and Cheviot x Suffolk ewes in a series of in vivo trials over a 2-year period. Digestibility by sheep was determined by total collection in all trials. Chemical composition, DM solubility and in vitro digestibilities of cellulose, organic matter and DM of silages were determined. Both DM and digestible energy (DE) intakes of alfalfa-bromegrass silage could be predicted very accurately from a combination of its cell-wall constituents and crude protein contents. A combination of these silage components accounted for 81% and 73% of the variation in DM and DE intakes respectively. Both in vivo DM and DE intakes of silages could be predicted from DM solubility and in vitro organic matter or cellulose digestibilities. Multiple regression analysis of in ~'itro digestibility on DM or DE intakes showed that 82% and 73% of the variations in DM and DE intake respectively could be explained by both DM solubility and in vitro organic matter digestibility. There appeared to be little difference between the use of silage components or in vitro techniques when predicting in vivo DM and DE intakes of legumes-grass silage.
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