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Publication Date
1981
Description
Forage quality is normally evaluated by time-consuming and costly laboratory analyses. It appears promising to use morphological parameters to evaluate forage quality in alfalfa and red clover. During progressive growth of white clover, red clover, and alfalfa, the leaf and stem portion was separated to determine the fiber fraction according to the Van Soest method and to
estimate digestibility by the procedure of Tilley and Terry. Stem : leaf ratio and stand height as a measure of stem length were used as morphological parameters. Leaves of the three legumes vary only slightly in concentration of cell-wall material and in digestibility within cuts. The leafsupporting stems of white clover, in spite of being high in cell-wall concentration, are highly digestible. As a result, no practical relationship exists between morphology and food quality in this species. In the stems of tall-growing stands of alfalfa and red clover, however, the cell-wall concentration increases along with a decrease in digestibility. Significant inverse relationships were found between stem length or stand height and digestibility of both alfalfa and red clover, with r values of 0.95 and 0.80, respectively. These correlations were similar to those obtained between digestibility and fiber fractions. In conclusion, it seems possible to estimate the quality of alfalfa and red clover by simple, nonchemical parameters. Since the leaf portion varies little in digestibility, it is possible to estimate total food quality by measuring stand height as a measure of stem length and leaf: stem ratio. Such a system might be of practical use for farmers.
Citation
Kuhbauch, W, "Estimation of Digestibility of Legume Forages by Means of Morphological Parameters" (1981). IGC Proceedings (1977-2023). 3.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1981/section14/3)
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Estimation of Digestibility of Legume Forages by Means of Morphological Parameters
Forage quality is normally evaluated by time-consuming and costly laboratory analyses. It appears promising to use morphological parameters to evaluate forage quality in alfalfa and red clover. During progressive growth of white clover, red clover, and alfalfa, the leaf and stem portion was separated to determine the fiber fraction according to the Van Soest method and to
estimate digestibility by the procedure of Tilley and Terry. Stem : leaf ratio and stand height as a measure of stem length were used as morphological parameters. Leaves of the three legumes vary only slightly in concentration of cell-wall material and in digestibility within cuts. The leafsupporting stems of white clover, in spite of being high in cell-wall concentration, are highly digestible. As a result, no practical relationship exists between morphology and food quality in this species. In the stems of tall-growing stands of alfalfa and red clover, however, the cell-wall concentration increases along with a decrease in digestibility. Significant inverse relationships were found between stem length or stand height and digestibility of both alfalfa and red clover, with r values of 0.95 and 0.80, respectively. These correlations were similar to those obtained between digestibility and fiber fractions. In conclusion, it seems possible to estimate the quality of alfalfa and red clover by simple, nonchemical parameters. Since the leaf portion varies little in digestibility, it is possible to estimate total food quality by measuring stand height as a measure of stem length and leaf: stem ratio. Such a system might be of practical use for farmers.
