J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1974. 38:149-153.
© 1974 American Society of Animal Science
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Comparison and Digestibility of Four Tropical Grasses Grown in Nigeria

F.O. Olubajo1, 3,, P.J. Van Soest2 and V.A. Oyenuga1

University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

In a study of four tropical grass species: Cynodon plectostachyum (star grass), Cynodon Ib 8 (Ibadan strain), Pancium maximum (Guinea grass) and Pennisetum purpureum (Napier or Elephant grass) chemical composition, in vivo and in vitro digestibility were measured at three stages of growth. Digestion trials were conducted with African sheep. Lignin and plant cell wall were highly associated with in vitro digestibility but not with in vivo digestibility. Cellulose, hemicellulose and silica were not significantly associated with in vitro digestibility, and none of them were related to in vivo digestibility which was higher than in vitro digestibility particularly in the older grasses. The differences between in vivo and in vitro digestibility was highly related to cell wall composition. Significance of these findings in relation to the peculiarities of tropical grasses are indicated. Amount of hemicellulose and silica were highly associated with species differences.

Footnotes

1 Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

2 Department of Animal Science, Cornell University Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

3 The chief author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the Rockefeller Foundation for providing the funds which made it possible to travel to Cornell University to study the new techniques of analysis. He also extends his profound thanks to the Department of Animal Science, Cornell University for the generous provision of laboratory facilities and to Professor P. J. Van Soest, who patiently put the chief author through the intricate analytical methods.






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Copyright © 1974 by the American Society of Animal Science.