J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J. Anim Sci. 1966. 25:617-623.
© 1966 American Society of Animal Science
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, R. R.
Right arrow Articles by Dehority, B. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, R. R.
Right arrow Articles by Dehority, B. A.

Corn Plant Maturity. II. Effect on In Vitro Cellulose Digestibility and Soluble Carbohydrate Content1

Ronald R. Johnson, Tikam L. Balwani, L. J. Johnson, K. E. McClure and B. A. Dehority2

Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster

Abstract

Digestibility of corn plant cellulose by rumen microorganisms in vitro (IVCD) and the soluble carbohydrate content were determined on corn stalks and leaves at several stages of maturity, starting just prior to tasseling and ending just after a killing frost. IVCD of stalk cellulose declined until about 10 to 15 days after tasseling, after which it remained constant until frost. IVCD of leaf cellulose was higher than that of stalk cellulose and declined slowly but steadily throughout the entire period. The soluble carbohydrate content of corn stalk tissue increased rapidly from tasseling to a maximum in late August and thereafter declined to final maturity. The highest value found was about 500 mg. per gram of dry matter. Soluble carbohydrates in leaf tissue followed the same pattern, but were lower than in stalk tissue. Oven-dried samples had considerably less soluble carbohydrate than undried samples preserved in the frozen state. A major portion of the soluble carbohydrates disappeared in the ensiling process. Sufficient carbohydrates were present at all stages to promote proper ensiling. Ensiling did not appear to lower the IVCD.

Footnotes

1 Approved for publication as Journal Article No. 65-65 by the Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio.

2 Department of Animal Science.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1966 by the American Society of Animal Science.