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Abstract

This study investigated the effect of forage type (grass or red clover) and harvesting time (primary growth or regrowth) of silage on energy and N utilisation by sheep fed at maintenance level. Specifically, the assumption of constant loss of energy of digestible organic matter from energy losses in urine and CH4 applied in evaluation of silage metabolisable energy (ME) was investigated. Urinary excretion of high-energy phenolic compounds related to solubilisation of lignin was assumed to affect urinary energy (UE) losses from sheep fed highly digestible grass silage (GS). A total of 25 primary growth and regrowth silages of timothy (Phleum pratense) and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) grass mixtures and red clover (Trifolium pratense) samples collected in digestibility trials with sheep, including faecal and urine samples, were used for energy and N determinations. Urinary concentration of monophenolic compounds and CH4 emissions in vitro were also analysed. Daily faecal N output, CH4 yield (MJ/kg DM intake), proportion of CH4 energy in digestible energy (DE) and proportion of UE in DE were greater (P

Keywords

aromatic acids; digestibility; feed evaluation; forages; ruminants

Published in

Animal
2020, volume: 14, number: 4, article number: PII S1751731119002556
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

  • Krizsan, Sophie Julie

    • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Pang, Degong

    • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Fatehi, Farhang

    • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    • University of Tehran

  • Huhtanen, Pekka

    • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119002556

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/105280