Evaluation of a Filter Bag System for NDF, ADF, and IVDMD Forage Analysis

Abstract

A new method of determining in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) was recently developed in which the digestion is conducted with the forage samples in filter bags. Our objective was to compare the filter bag and conventional IVDMD analysis methods using smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] samples. In addition, the filter bag analysis systems for determining non‐sequential neutral and acid detergent fiber (NDF and ADF), respectively, were compared with the non‐sequential conventional analysis systems. In the filter bag systems, the forage samples are sealed in filter bags and the analyses are conducted on a batch basis rather than on an individual basis as in the conventional IVDMD and fiber analysis procedures. The filter bag analysis methods produced results similar to the conventional methods and ranked the forage samples in the same relative order.

Internode structure and cell wall composition in maturing tillers of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum. L)

“…Dried, ground plant material was analyzed for cell wall components using a detergent digestion protocol as described by Vogel et al (1999). Triplicate samples were placed in pre-weighed bags and processed by the fiber extraction protocol , and the ANKOM ADL procedure (ANKOM Technology-9/99, Method for Determining Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL); ANKOM Technology Corp., Fairport, NY, USA).…”

FibreBags vs. FibreCaps for acid and neutral detergent fibre analysis

“…The FibreBags require an extra step of removing the plastic insert; this was done by gently rinsing the insert with water as it was removed from the FibreBag, to prevent loss of the sample material. The redried samples were weighed; the ADF and NDF concentrations were calculated in the manner detailed in Vogel et al [6].…”

Opportunities and roadblocks in utilizing forages and small grains for liquid fuels

“…An assessment of herbaceous feedstocks by the US Department of Energy (DOE) initiated in the late 1980s led to the selection of switchgrass as a primary biofuel feedstock and much of this work has been reviewed [54]. Since that time, work at several governmental agencies (for example: [15,30,104,105] and other institutions [9,22,49,56,61,66]), have contributed to the development of switchgrass as a viable biomass feedstock. Much of the breeding and agronomic research on switchgrass has been reviewed recently [69,81,101].…”

“…For example, the commonly utilized brown midrib mutants (bmr) in forage maize and sorghum are mutations in genes for enzymes of the lignin biosynthesis pathway resulting in plants with reduced lignin and greater digestibility [1,2,6,8,13,14,19,20,33,36,38,47,75,105]. This suggests that accessibility of cellulose and hemicellulose by rumen microorganisms has been improved by lowering or changing the types and amounts of lignin present in cell walls.…”

“…These include in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and the related Wber detergent digestion protocol, which have been a mainstay in forage breeding programs [14,24,41,46,58,104,105]. IVDMD has been used to evaluate plant germplasm for biomass use [91].…”