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Prediction of voluntary intake and digestibility of maize silages given to sheep from morphological and chemical composition, in vitro digestibility or rumen degradation characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Ferret ,
J. Gasa ,
J. Plaixats ,
F. Casañas ,
L. Bosch  and
F. Nuez
A. Ferret
Affiliation:
Departament de Patologia i de Producció Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
J. Gasa
Affiliation:
Departament de Patologia i de Producció Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
J. Plaixats
Affiliation:
Departament de Patologia i de Producció Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
F. Casañas
Affiliation:
Departament d'Agronomia, Escola Superior d'Agricultura de Barcelona, Urgell 187, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
L. Bosch
Affiliation:
Departament d'Agronomia, Escola Superior d'Agricultura de Barcelona, Urgell 187, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
F. Nuez
Affiliation:
Departament de Genètica i Millora Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14,46022 València, Spain
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Abstract

Eleven maize silages with crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) ranging from 77 to 93 and 359 to 542 g/kg dry matter (DM) respectively, were used to study the relationship between ear content, chemical composition, fermentative characteristics, in vitro DM digestibility and ruminal degradation characteristics, on the one hand, and the voluntary DM intake by sheep or in vivo organic matter apparent digestibility (OM digestibility), on the other.

The silages were offered ad libitum to mature ewes given a daily supplement of 85 g of soya-bean meal. DM intake varied from 41·1 to 68·6 g DM per kg M0·75 daily. OM digestibility and NDF apparent digestibility were measured, using the same ewes in a period subsequent to that of voluntary intake measurement. The silages, in this case, were offered at a feeding level of 1·2 maintenance. OM digestibility and NDF apparent digestibility ranged from 0·622 to 0·757 and from 0·377 to 0·605, respectively. Rumen DM disappearance was measured by incubating samples in nylon bags in the rumen of three silage-fed rumen-cannulated wethers for 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h and by fitting the exponential model to the results. Potential degradabilities (defined as a + b) for DM ranged from 728 to 815 g/kg.

Accurate prediction of DM intake (r = 0·93; P < 0·01; residual s.d. = 3·9) and OM digestibility (r = 0·86; P < 0·01; residual s.d. = 0·022) was achieved using the soluble fraction (a) and the insoluble but fermentable matter (B) and the insoluble but potentially degradable fraction (b), respectively. However, looking for a compromise between accuracy and simplicity, reliability and inexpensiveness, ear content is proposed as a predictor of OM digestibility (r = 0·85; P < 0·01) and the pH and acetic acid concentration of the silages may be used as a predictor of DM intake (r = 0·80; P < 0·05).

Keywords

degradationdigestibilityfood intakemaize silagesheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , June 1997 , pp. 493 - 501
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1997

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