Nutritive Value of Green Mass and Hay From the Divčibare Region

Abstract

With the aim of forming a complete observation of the botanical composition and nutritive value of pasture and meadow hay from the Divčibare region, which is a typically hilly-mountain area in Serbia, investigations were designed to evaluate the quality of pasture and hay (chemical composition and energy value), as well as the losses which are results of drying pasture. Twelve samples of grass were taken from three different altitudes and after mowing, samples of hay were also taken from the same meadow.In a conventional chemical analysis (Weende) the chemical composition of grass and hay were determined. On the basic of this analysis nutritive values were calculated. Pasture and hay from the Divčibare region have a satisfying chemical composition, they can be used as a forage base and a source of nutrients for ruminants, predominantly, lowproducing livestock. The difference in content of proteins among samples from some localities might be bound with the content of fabaceae. The increase fibre content with the proportional decrease content of protein had a negative influence on the nutritive value in the samples of grass and hay.The Net Energy Lactation (NEL) of hay from the investigated region is near the lower limit reported as average for pasture and meadow hay. Significant higher nutritive values of green mass, calculated on dry matter (NEL 8.35 MJ/kg, SV 0.78 SJ/kg) when compared to the nutritive value of hay (NEL 8.12 MJ/kg, SV 0.74 SJ/kg) show that losses are results of haymaking. Nutrients losses during drying are in correlation with losses of proteins, lipids and mineral matter, but there is an increase in fiber. The change in chemical composition due to the described losses during drying and the negative influence on organic matter digestibility, led to a reduction in the energy value of the investigated samples.