Composition and <i>in vitro</i> digestibility of leaves and stems of grasses and legumes harvested from permanent mountain meadows at different stages of maturity

Abstract

Chemical composition and in vitro digestibility were determined in stems and leaves hand-separated from grasses and legumes obtained from the first and subsequent cuts of a permanent meadow. Grasses from the first cut were classified in four groups according to their stage of maturity: vegetative, boot, head-bloom and seed stage. Crude protein (CP) content was higher and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content lower in legumes than in grasses, and in leaves than in stems. CP decreased and NDF increased with maturity in grasses. In general, legumes were more digestible than grasses. The digestibility of grasses harvested in the first cut decreased with increasing maturity. Leaves were more digestible than stems in legumes and grasses, although the relative difference between botanical parts was much larger in grasses than in legumes. The differences in digestibility between leaves and stems became more pronounced with increasing maturity, especially in terms of cell wall digestibility. As for forage quality, early cutting of permanent meadows would be recommended, so that grasses are harvested before they reach an advanced stage of maturity.

Chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of some Spanish browse plant species

“…In agreement with other authors the digestibility of the foliage of C laurifolius and Q pyrenaica was intermediate. 2,24,25 The digestibility of leaves of E australis, C laurifolius and Q pyrenaica was lower than that of leaves of grasses and legumes harvested from permanent mountain meadows 14 and comparable to that of their stems. In contrast, the leaves of R canina were as digestible as the leaves of grasses before maturity.…”

Chemical composition and digestibility of some browse plant species collected from Algerian arid rangelands

“…In vitro DM digestibility was determined using the ANKOM-DAISY procedure (Ammar et al, 1999) following two different approaches, the proposed by Tilley & Terry (1963), and the one described by Van Soest et al (1966). Both techniques were carried out separately in different incubations.…”

Nutritive evaluation of foliage from fodder trees and shrubs characteristic of Algerian arid and semi-arid areas

“…In vitro dry matter digestibility was determined using the ANKOM-DAISY procedure (Ammar et al, 1999) following two different approaches, that described by Tilley and Terry (1963) and the one described by Van Soest (1994). Both techniques were carried out separately in different incubations.…”

“…A culture medium containing macro-and micro-mineral solutions, a bicarbonate buffer solution and resazurin was prepared as described by Ammar et al (1999). The medium was maintained at 39ºC and saturated with CO 2 .…”

“…Biological assays to estimate the rate and extent of ruminal digestion of these fibrous feedstuffs, especially those containing secondary compounds, provide comprehensive information on their potential nutritive value for ruminants. In vitro digestibility procedures and the gas fermentation technique are interesting tools that provide such information (López, 2005), and have also been proposed to assess the biological effect of tannins contained in feedstuffs (Ammar et al, 1999).…”