Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T19:41:45.111Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effects of method of processing on the intake and digestibility by lambs of dried perennial rye-grass and tall fescue

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. M. Tetlow
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
Get access

Summary

Cobs and pellets which differed in particle size (modulus of fineness, MF) were prepared from dried perennial ryegrass and tall fescue and given to sheep. The MF values of the feeds were 2·45,1·09,0·81 and 0·74 for perennial ryegrass and 2·28,0·84,0·67 and 0·57 for tall fescue. Organic matter digestibility was similar for the two grass species when measured in vivo, but when measured in vitro values for perennial ryegrass were about 3 units higher than those for tall fescue. Voluntary intake and live-weight gain were higher for sheep given tall fescue, the difference in live-weight gain being just significant at P < 0·05. The response to change in particle size was similar for the two grass species. Intake was lowest and digestibility highest for the feeds with the highest MF, but differences between the three finely-ground forms of each species were not significant. There was a tendency for the intake of digestible organic matter to be lower for the feeds with lowest MF than for those with intermediate values for MF. The rate of passage of undigested particles was slower for cobs with the highest MF than for the other feeds, which did not differ significantly one from another.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1967. Recommendation A.S.A.E. R2461. Method of determining modulus of uniformity and modulus of fineness of ground feed. Yb. Am. Soc. agric. Engrs, 1967, p. 301.Google Scholar
Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 1965. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Balch, C. C. 1950. Factors affecting the utilisation of food by dairy cows. 1. The rate of passage of food through the digestive tract. Br. J. Nutr. 4: 361388.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. 1973. Artificially dried herbage as a source of energy for ruminant animals. Proc. 1st int. Green Crop Drying Congr., Oxford, pp. 6472.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. and Graham, N. McC. 1956. The effect of the grinding and cubing process on the utilization of the energy of dried grass. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 47: 207217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campling, R. C, Freer, M. and Balch, C. C. 1963. Factors affecting the voluntary intake of food by cows. 6. A preliminary experiment with ground, pelleted hay. Br. J. Nutr. 17: 263272.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenhalgh, J. F. D. and Reid, G. W. 1973. The effects of pelleting various diets oni n-take and digestibility in sheep and cattle. Anim. Prod. 16: 223233.Google Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D. and Wainman, F. W. 1972. The nutritive value of processed rough-ages for fattening cattle and sheep. Proc. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod. 1972, pp. 6172.Google Scholar
Hagedorn, H. C. and Jensen, B. N. 1923. The micro-determination of blood sugar by means of ferricyanide. Biochem. Z. 135: 4658.Google Scholar
Hungate, R. E. 1966. The Rumen and its Microbes. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Jarrige, R., Demarquilly, C, Journet, M. and Béranger, C. 1973. The nutritive value of processed dehydrated forages with special reference to the influence of physical form and particle size. Proc. 1st int. Green Crop Drying Congr., Oxford, pp. 99118.Google Scholar
Jones, D. I. H. 1972. The chemistry of grass for animal production. A. Rep. Welsh PI. Breed. Sta., Aberystwyth, 1971, pp, 95106.Google Scholar
Lonsdale, C. R. and Tayler, J. C. 1969. The effect of stage of maturity of artificially dried ryegrass and method of processing on the growth of young cattle. Anim. Prod. 11: 273 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Minson, D. J. 1963. The effect of pelleting and wafering on the feeding value of roughage — a review. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 18: 3944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, D., Paulsen, G. M. and Raguse, C. A. 1964. Extraction of total available carbo-hydrates from grass and legume tissue. PL. PhysioL, Lancaster 39: 960962.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spedding, C. R. W., Treacher, T. T. and Penning, P. D. 1970. Feeding systems for the early weaned lamb. Proc. 4th Nutr. Conf. Feed Manufacturers, Nottingham, pp. 7083.Google Scholar
Tayler, J. C. and Aston, K. 1972. Feed factors in milk production. A. Rep. Grassld Res. Inst., Hurley, 1971, pp. 7677.Google Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. 1974. A method for determining particle size distribution in packages of dried forage. J. agric. Engng. Res. (In press.)Google Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. and Wilkins, R. J. 1972. Effects of dehydration and packaging on nutritive value. A. Rep. Grassld Res. Inst., Hurley, 1971, p. 70.Google Scholar
Thomson, A. J. and Wright, A. J. 1972. Principles and problems in grass breeding. Rep. Pl. Breed. Inst., Camb., 1971, pp. 3167.Google Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. and Terry, R. A. 1963. A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestibility of forage crops. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 18: 105111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van es, A. J. H. 1969. The efficiency of the utilisation of the metabolisable energy by lactating cows fed concentrates and either hay, silage or hay and hay-or straw-pellets. Proc. 3rd Gen. Meeting Europ. Grassld Fed., pp. 275281.Google Scholar
Wernli, C. G. and Wilkins, R. J. 1971. The voluntary intake of grass silage supplemented with dried grass or barley. Anim. Prod. 13: 397 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Wilkins, R. J. 1973. The effects of processing on the nutritive value of dehydrated forages. Proc. 1st int. Green Crop Drying Congr., Oxford, pp. 119134.Google Scholar
Wilkins, R. J., Lonsdale, C. R., Tetlow, R. M. and Forrest, T. J. 1972. The voluntary intake and digestibility by cattle and sheep of dried grass wafers containing particles of different size. Anim. Prod. 14: 177188.Google Scholar