The digestion of grass and alfalfa silages in the forestomachs and intestines of sheep.

Abstract

Digestion of cell wall constituents (CWC) and crude protein (CP) were estimated in wethers fitted with dorsal rumen sac and small intestine cannulae and given grass or lucerne silage (containing in DM 12.9% and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 60.2% and CP 19.1% and NDF 48.8%, respectively) with daily DM intakes 46.5 and 49.0 kg^0.75. Highest rate of emptying of reticulo-rumen was for grass silage. Fractional rate of emptying of liquid phase for cows given grass silage was 5.7% per h compared with 4.9% per h for cows given lucerne silage. Rates of emptying of particulate phase were similar for both silages. Frequency of rumen contractions was higher for grass silage than for lucerne silage. CWC of lucerne silage were less digestible than those of grass silage. Degradability of dietary CP in reticulo-rumen for grass and lucerne silage was 64 and 87%. Digestibility of CP in the small intestine was lower for lucerne silage than for grass silage. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)