Combining Orchardgrass and Alfalfa: Effects of Forage Ratios on In Vitro Rumen Degradation and Fermentation Characteristics of Silage Compared with Hay

Animals

Philipe Moriel¹  Elizabeth Palmer¹  Yuqi Wei²  Zhulin Xue²  Nan Liu²  Yingjun Zhang²  Hongjian Yang³  Yanlu Wang³ 

[1] IFAS-Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;Key Laboratory of Grasslands Management and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;

关键词: forage quality;    gas production;    methane;    ruminant;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ani10010059

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different forage ratios of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) on in vitro rumen degradation and fermentation characteristics. Orchardgrass and alfalfa were harvested separately and prepared as hay and silage mixtures at ratios of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 (w/w on a dry matter basis) and anaerobically incubated for 48 h with rumen fluid obtained from lactating dairy cows. Fermented residues and cultured fluids were used to determine nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and associative effect indices. Increasing the proportion of alfalfa in hay and silage mixtures quadratically increased in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD, up +5.14%) and marginally decreased in vitro neutral detergent fiber disappearance (NDFD, down −1.79%). Meanwhile, increasing the proportion of alfalfa accelerated the rumen fermentation process (e.g., gas production) and remarkably enhanced the growth of rumen microbes as indicated by microbial protein production (MCP, 13.4% increase). Increments of rumen degradability and methane production were more pronounced in silage mixtures than hay mixtures. In combination, a forage ratio of 50:50 for orchardgrass and alfalfa is recommended for both hay and silage in order to improve the feed use potential in ruminants.

【 授权许可】

Unknown