Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-l4ctd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-04T02:36:10.901Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The nutritive value of dried red clover as a supplement for perennial ryegrass hay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2007

G. Mosley
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Plas Gorgeddan, Aberystwyth
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. A low-digestibility ryegrass hay was fed to sheep and the effect of supplementation with dried red clover on animal production and digestion was examined. Comparisons were made using other supplements containing (a) barley (isoenergetic with clover supplement), (b) barley and decorticated groundnut meal (isoenergetic and isonitrogenous with clover supplement), (c) barley, groundnut meal and mineral salts (containing an equivalent level of digestible energy, apparently digestible crude protein and minerals to those of the clover supplement).

2. Dry matter intake, digestibility of organic matter and live-weight gain were higher with clover supplemented hay than with hay alone, and the live-weight gain response to clover supplementation was comparable with the concentrate diet (supplement c), which supplied an equivalent level of digestible energy, crude protein and minerals.

3. The utilization of digestible energy for live-weight gain was significantly higher (P < 0.05) for clover than for hay, hay plus barley, and hay plus barley and groundnut meal. The utilization of the clover – hay mixture was similar to that of the hay plus concentrates and minerals and tended to be higher than that of the concentrate diet without minerals, although the difference was not significant (P < 0.05).

4. There was no significant difference between hay and clover diets in the proportions of volatile fatty acids found in the rumen, although there was a shift from acetate to butyrate production with the two diets containing groundnut meal.

5. The apparent digestibility of nitrogen for both hay and clover was low, but intake and retention was markedly increased with clover.

6. The intake and retention for all the minerals studied was better for the clover-supplemented hay and all-clover diets than for the hay diet, and the availability of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus was higher. The availability and retention of Na, K and Mg with the clover-supplemented hay diet were slightly lower than the mineral-supplemented diet, while those of Ca and P were higher.

Type
General Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1974

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council (1965). The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock No. 2, Ruminants. London: Agricultureal Research Council.Google Scholar
Bailey, R. W. (1964). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 7, 496.Google Scholar
Cavell, A. J. (1955). J. Sci. Fd Agric. 6, 479.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, P. S. (1964). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 7, 508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grimes, R. C., Watkin, B. R. & Gallagher, J. R. (1967). J. agric. Sci., Camb. 68, 11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johns, A. T., Ulyatt, M. J. & Glenday, A. C. (1963). J. agric. Sci., Camb. 61, 201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joyce, J. P. & Newth, R. P. (1967). Proc. N.Z. Soc. Anim. Prod. 27, 166.Google Scholar
Lancashire, J. (1971). Ir. J. agric. Res. 10, 103.Google Scholar
Miles, D. G., Walters, R. J. K. & Evans, E. M. (1969). Anim. Prod. 11, 19.Google Scholar
Milford, R. & Minson, D. G. (1965). Br. J. Nutr. 19, 373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milford, R. & Minson, D. G. (1966). J. Br. Grassld Soc. 21, 7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nijkamp, H. J. (1965). In Energy metabolism [Blaxter, K. L., editor]. London and New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Patil, B. D. (1969). Genetic variation in herbage species with respect to animal performance. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Wales.Google Scholar
Rattray, P. V. & Joyce, J. P. (1969). Proc. N.Z. Soc. Anim. Prod. 29, 102.Google Scholar
Rattray, P. V. & Joyce, J. P. (1970 a). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 13, 778.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rattray, P. V. & Joyce, J. P. (1970 b). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 13, 792.Google Scholar
Rattray, P. V. & Joyce, J. P. (1970 c). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 13, 800.Google Scholar
Sinclair, D. P., Clarke, A. E. & Filmer, D. B. (1956). Proc. N.Z. Soc. Anim. Prod. 16, 23.Google Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. & Terry, E. A. (1963). J. Br. Grassld Soc. 18, 104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ulyatt, M. J. (1969). Proc. N.Z. Soc. Anim. Prod. 29, 114.Google Scholar
Ulyatt, M. J. (1971). N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 14, 352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Soest, P. J. (1963). J. Anim. Sci. 22, 838.Google Scholar
Weston, R. H. & Hogan, J. P. (1971). Aust. J. agric. Res. 22, 139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar