Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of grass maturity at harvest on silage ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The sward was harvested at the stem elongation, tasseling and flowering growth stages of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata). Three...

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Main Authors: Marina Vranić, Mladen Knežević, Krešimir Bošnjak, Goran Perčulija, Hrvoje Kutnjak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Croatian Dairy Union 2008-12-01
Series:Mljekarstvo
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=48502
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author Marina Vranić
Mladen Knežević
Krešimir Bošnjak
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
author_facet Marina Vranić
Mladen Knežević
Krešimir Bošnjak
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
author_sort Marina Vranić
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of grass maturity at harvest on silage ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The sward was harvested at the stem elongation, tasseling and flowering growth stages of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata). Three silages were offered to four Charolais wether sheep in an incomplete change over design with four periods. As the crop matured, there was an increase (P<0.001) in dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentration and a decrease in crude protein (CP) concentration (P<0.001). Increasing maturity of grass ensiled showed a linear decrease (P<0.01) in voluntary silage intake of DM, OM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), a linear decrease (P<0.01) in digestibility of silage DM, OM, NDF, ADF, CP, and a linear decrease in nitrogen balance (P<0.01). No quadratic response was recorded in silage intake, digestibility or N balance. The results suggest that grass maturity at harvest influences the nutritive value of grass silage, in terms of ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in sheep, as a result of changes in chemical composition.
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spelling doaj.art-166ec3bc451249de92fac13bed9026242022-12-22T01:47:18ZengCroatian Dairy UnionMljekarstvo0026-704X1846-40252008-12-01584357369Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturityMarina VranićMladen KneževićKrešimir BošnjakGoran PerčulijaHrvoje KutnjakThe objective of this experiment was to study the effects of grass maturity at harvest on silage ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The sward was harvested at the stem elongation, tasseling and flowering growth stages of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata). Three silages were offered to four Charolais wether sheep in an incomplete change over design with four periods. As the crop matured, there was an increase (P<0.001) in dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentration and a decrease in crude protein (CP) concentration (P<0.001). Increasing maturity of grass ensiled showed a linear decrease (P<0.01) in voluntary silage intake of DM, OM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), a linear decrease (P<0.01) in digestibility of silage DM, OM, NDF, ADF, CP, and a linear decrease in nitrogen balance (P<0.01). No quadratic response was recorded in silage intake, digestibility or N balance. The results suggest that grass maturity at harvest influences the nutritive value of grass silage, in terms of ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in sheep, as a result of changes in chemical composition.http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=48502forage productiongrass-clover silagematurity stagead libitum intakeN balance
spellingShingle Marina Vranić
Mladen Knežević
Krešimir Bošnjak
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
Mljekarstvo
forage production
grass-clover silage
maturity stage
ad libitum intake
N balance
title Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
title_full Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
title_fullStr Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
title_full_unstemmed Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
title_short Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
title_sort voluntary intake digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity
topic forage production
grass-clover silage
maturity stage
ad libitum intake
N balance
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=48502
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