Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of interactions between lower quality grass silage (GS) dominated by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and maize silage (MS) (Zea mays L.) on ad libitum intake, digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The study consisted of four fee...

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Main Authors: Ivana Matić, Goran Perčulija, Hrvoje Kutnjak, Krešimir Bošnjak, Josip Leto, Mladen Knežević, Marina Vranić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Croatian Dairy Union 2009-12-01
Series:Mljekarstvo
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=69709
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author Ivana Matić
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
Krešimir Bošnjak
Josip Leto
Mladen Knežević
Marina Vranić
author_facet Ivana Matić
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
Krešimir Bošnjak
Josip Leto
Mladen Knežević
Marina Vranić
author_sort Ivana Matić
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of interactions between lower quality grass silage (GS) dominated by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and maize silage (MS) (Zea mays L.) on ad libitum intake, digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The study consisted of four feeding treatments involving GS and MS alone, and GS and MS mixtures in ratios of 67:33 or 33:67 (DM basis) fed twice daily. The GS was harvested at the beginning of flowering of orchardgrass (about 35 % of plants were in flower) while the MS used was of lower DM and starch concentration (264 g kg-1 fresh weight and 211 g kg-1 DM respectively). Mean DM content of GS was 408 g kg-1 fresh weight. MS was lower in crude protein (CP) (62 g kg-1 DM) than the GS (98 g kg-1 DM) (P<0.001). GS contained larger quantities of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (P<0.001) than MS. Inclusion of MS in the diet (33 % vs. 67 %) had positive linear effects on fresh matter (FM) voluntary intake (P<0.05), digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), digestible OM in the DM (D-value) (P<0.05), starch digestibility (P<0.05), N intake (P<0.01), N output in faeces (P<0.05) and absorbed N (P<0.05). A positive associative effect of GS and MS was observed for all intake parameters measured (FM, DM, OM, NDF) (quadratic, P<0.05 to P<0.01), digestibility of DM, ADF (quadratic, P<0.05), CP (quadratic, P<0.01), N intake and absorbed N (quadratic, P<0.01). It was concluded that positive interactions of GS and MS were recorded for a limited number of parameters because of the lower quality MS than required for the full benefit of two forages fed together.
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spelling doaj.art-a062551421874f6b9d98e7e85f522b282022-12-21T18:12:18ZengCroatian Dairy UnionMljekarstvo0026-704X1846-40252009-12-01594302310Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheepIvana MatićGoran PerčulijaHrvoje KutnjakKrešimir BošnjakJosip LetoMladen KneževićMarina VranićThe objective of this experiment was to study the effects of interactions between lower quality grass silage (GS) dominated by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and maize silage (MS) (Zea mays L.) on ad libitum intake, digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The study consisted of four feeding treatments involving GS and MS alone, and GS and MS mixtures in ratios of 67:33 or 33:67 (DM basis) fed twice daily. The GS was harvested at the beginning of flowering of orchardgrass (about 35 % of plants were in flower) while the MS used was of lower DM and starch concentration (264 g kg-1 fresh weight and 211 g kg-1 DM respectively). Mean DM content of GS was 408 g kg-1 fresh weight. MS was lower in crude protein (CP) (62 g kg-1 DM) than the GS (98 g kg-1 DM) (P<0.001). GS contained larger quantities of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (P<0.001) than MS. Inclusion of MS in the diet (33 % vs. 67 %) had positive linear effects on fresh matter (FM) voluntary intake (P<0.05), digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), digestible OM in the DM (D-value) (P<0.05), starch digestibility (P<0.05), N intake (P<0.01), N output in faeces (P<0.05) and absorbed N (P<0.05). A positive associative effect of GS and MS was observed for all intake parameters measured (FM, DM, OM, NDF) (quadratic, P<0.05 to P<0.01), digestibility of DM, ADF (quadratic, P<0.05), CP (quadratic, P<0.01), N intake and absorbed N (quadratic, P<0.01). It was concluded that positive interactions of GS and MS were recorded for a limited number of parameters because of the lower quality MS than required for the full benefit of two forages fed together.http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=69709grass silagemaize silageintakedigestibilityN retention
spellingShingle Ivana Matić
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
Krešimir Bošnjak
Josip Leto
Mladen Knežević
Marina Vranić
Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
Mljekarstvo
grass silage
maize silage
intake
digestibility
N retention
title Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
title_full Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
title_fullStr Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
title_full_unstemmed Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
title_short Maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake, apparent digestibility and N retention in wether sheep
title_sort maize silage supplementation to lower quality grass silage improves the intake apparent digestibility and n retention in wether sheep
topic grass silage
maize silage
intake
digestibility
N retention
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=69709
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