HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Quicke, G. V. Articles by Moxon, A. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Quicke, G. V. Articles by Moxon, A. L.

Cellulose Digestion In Vitro as a Measure of the Digestibility of Forage Cellulose in Ruminants^1,2,

Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster^,5

Abstract

The digestibility of the cellulose in seven grass hays and six legume hays was determined by an in vitro rumen technique using inocula obtained from a steer, and in digestion trials with sheep. No significant difference was observed between results obtained in vitro and in vivo with grass hays, but, in some of the legume hays, cellulose digestibilities, as measured by the two methods, were significantly different.

Results obtained with the in vitro technique showed good reproducibility and, in general, variances were less than those calculated for the corresponding sheep trial data.

In an experiment in which different forages were fed to a steer used as a source of inoculum, the digestibility in vitro of the cellulose in these forages was not affected by the type of forage fed the steer.

Little difference was noted when cellulose digestion was measured using strained rumen juice, a phosphate buffer extract of pressed rumen contents or resuspended ruminal microorganisms as inoculum.

Possible use of the in vitro technique as a tool in the evaluation of the nutritive value of forages is indicated.

¹ Approved for publication as Journal Article No. 54-58 by the Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.

² This work was supported in part by funds allocated to the Station on the recommendation of the North Central Technical Committee on Ruminant Nutrition (NC-25).

³ Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Union of South Africa.

⁴ The authors are indebted to C. R. Weaver, Station Statistician, for his assistance with analysis of the data, and Mrs. Shirley Hotte for her assistance with the chemical analyses.

⁵ Department of Animal Science.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. J. Nelson and J. C. Burns Fifty Years of Grassland Science Leading to Change Crop Sci., September 8, 2006; 46(5): 2204 - 2217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]