Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T01:17:09.968Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The voluntary intake of silage by sheep:I. Interrelationships between silage composition and intake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. J. Wilkins ,
K. J. Hutchinson ,
R. F. Wilson  and
C. E. Harris
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
K. J. Hutchinson
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
R. F. Wilson
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
C. E. Harris
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The voluntary intake by sheep of seventy silages was measured in experiments in several years. Linear and multiple regression analyses were made between these voluntary intakes and the contents of dry matter, various acids and nitrogen and the digestibility value determined in vivo. There were some differences in these relationships for silages made from different groups of species, particularly those made from legumes. Voluntary intake was positively correlated with the contents of dry matter, nitrogen, lactic acid as a percentage of total acids and with the Flieg index. Voluntary intake was negatively correlated with the contents of acetic acid and ammonia as a percentage of total N. Although pH alone did not account for a significant part of the variation in intake, multiple regressions in which pH and one of the measurements of fermentation quality were included were significant, with pH positively related to intake. When all silages were considered, the correlation between voluntary intake and the apparent digestibility of dry matter was not significant. However, for legumes this correlation was significant and positive and for grasses other than ryegrass the correlation was significant and negative.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 77 , Issue 3 , December 1971 , pp. 531 - 537
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1971

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (1965). Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 10th ed.Google Scholar
Balch, C. C. & Campling, R. C. (1962). Regulation of voluntary food intake in ruminants. Nutr. Abstr. Rev. 32, 669–86.Google ScholarPubMed
Barnes, R. F. (1968). Variation within and among experiment stations in the determination of in vivo digestibility and intake of alfalfa. J. Anim. Sci. 27, 519–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bines, J. A., Suzuki, S. & Balch, C. C. (1969). The quantitative significance of long term regulation of food intake in the cow. Br. J. Nutr. 23, 695–704.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campling, R. C. (1964). Factors affecting the voluntary intake of grass. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 23, 80–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conway, E. J. (1957). Microdiffusion Analysis and Volumetric Error. London: Crosby Lockwood.Google Scholar
Dewar, W. A. & McDonald, P. (1961). Determination of dry matter in silage by distillation with toluene. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 12, 790–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodsworth, T. L. (1954). Further studies on the fattening value of grass silage and on the effect of the dry matter percentage of the diet on dry matter intake in ruminants. J. agric, Sci. Camb. 44, 383–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elsden, S. R. & Gibson, Q. H. (1954). The estimation of lactic acid using eerie sulphate. Biochem. J. 58, 154–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, C. H., Derbyshire, J. C., Wiseman, H. G., Kane, E. A. & Melin, C. G. (1961). Preservation and feeding value of alfalfa stored as hay, haylage and direct cut silage. J. Dairy Sci. 44, 1299–311.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, J. G. (1964). Effect of time of year on the roughage intake of housed sheep. Nature, Lond. 204, 798–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, C. E. & Raymond, W. F. (1963). The effect of ensilage on crop digestibility. J. Br. Orassld Soc. 18, 204–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, C. E., Raymond, W. F. & Wilson, R. F. (1966). The voluntary intake of silage. Proc. 10th Int. Grassld Congr., Helsinki, pp. 564–7.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, K. J. & Wilkins, R. J. (1971). The voluntary intake of silage by sheep. II. The effects of acetate on silage intake. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 77, 539–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutchinson, K. J., Wilkins, R. J. & Osbourn, D. F. (1971). The voluntary intake of silage by sheep. III. The effect of post-ruminal infusions of casein on the intake and nitrogen retention of sheep fed silage. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 77, 545–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleiber, M. (1965). Metabolic body size. In Energy Metabolism (ed. Blaxter, K. L.), pp. 427–52. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
McDonald, P. & Whittenbury, R. (1967). Losses during ensilage. Br. Grassld Soc. Occ. Symp. 3, 76–84.Google Scholar
McLeod, D. S., Wilkins, R. J. & Raymond, W. F. (1970). The voluntary intake by sheep and cattle of silages differing in free-acid content. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75, 311–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, L. A., Thomas, J. W. & Sykes, J. F. (1960). The acceptability of grass/legume silage by dairy cows. Proc. 8th Int. Grassld Congr., Reading, pp. 701–4.Google Scholar
Murdoch, J. C. (1960). The effect of pre-wilting herbage on the composition of silage and its intake by cows. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 15, 70–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neumark, H., Bondi, A. & Volcani, R. (1964). Amines, aldehydes and keto-acids in silages and their effect on feed intake by ruminants. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 15, 487–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osbourn, D. F. (1970). The voluntary intake of forage crops by sheep. Ph.D. thesis, Reading University.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. (1965). Statistical Methods. Ames: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Tayler, J. C. (1967). Nutritive value of conserved feeds for ruminants. Br. Grassld Soc. Occ. Symp. 3, 29–38.Google Scholar
Ulyatt, J. M. (1965). The effects of intra-ruminal infustions of volatile fatty acids on food intake of sheep. N. Z. Jl agric. Res. 8, 397–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. (1965). Symposium on factors influencing the voluntary intake of herbage by ruminants. Voluntary intake in relation to chemical composition and digestibility. J. Anim. Sci. 24, 834–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voss, N. (1966). Amines and ammonia as products of protein decomposition in silage. Proc. 10th Int. Grassld Congr., Helsinki, pp. 540–6.Google Scholar
Wilson, R. F. & Tilley, J. M. A. (1964). Determination of organic acids in silage by silica-gel chromatography. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 15, 208–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zimmer, E. (1966). Die Neufassing des Gärfutter-schlussels nach Flieg. Wirtschaftseigene Futter 12, 299–303.Google Scholar
Zimmer, E. & Kaufmann, W. (1969). Modell eines Bewertingschlussels für Halmfutter. Proc. 3rd Gen. Mtg Europ. Grassld Fed., Braunschweig, pp. 284–94.Google Scholar