Publication Date

1985

Location

Kyoto Japan

Description

In order to utilize forage crops effectively, extraction of leaf protein is quite useful, and its utilization has been extensively investigated. When leaf protein is extracted from plants, tremendous amounts of press cake are produced, however, only a few works on its utilization has been conducted. In the present experiment, the digestion trial with sheep was conducted and the feeding value of dried alfalfa press cake was compared with that of sun-cured alfalfa hay. In general, content of dry matter and organic matter was not so much.different between the press cake and the hay, however, the press cake was comparatively low in crude protein and high in crude fiber. Voluntary intake of the press cake was lower (P< 0.05) than that of the hay, being 2.54 and 3.23 kg per 100 kg body weight per day, respectively. Digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein were lower for the press cake than for the hay, and the digestibility of crude fiber was not different between them. Utilization of digested nitrogen of the press cake was very low (21 % ) compared with that of the hay ( 44% ). This means that the alfalfa press cake was inferior to its original plant from the viewpoint of protein utilization. No difference was found between press cake fed and hay fed sheep in some physiological parameters, such as rumen pH, concentrations of rumen ammonia and VFA, and concentrations of serum glucose, urea-nitrogen and total protein. From the results obtained, the press cake was somewhat inferior in feeding value to the hay.

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Feeding Values of Alfalfa and its Dried Press Cake

Kyoto Japan

In order to utilize forage crops effectively, extraction of leaf protein is quite useful, and its utilization has been extensively investigated. When leaf protein is extracted from plants, tremendous amounts of press cake are produced, however, only a few works on its utilization has been conducted. In the present experiment, the digestion trial with sheep was conducted and the feeding value of dried alfalfa press cake was compared with that of sun-cured alfalfa hay. In general, content of dry matter and organic matter was not so much.different between the press cake and the hay, however, the press cake was comparatively low in crude protein and high in crude fiber. Voluntary intake of the press cake was lower (P< 0.05) than that of the hay, being 2.54 and 3.23 kg per 100 kg body weight per day, respectively. Digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein were lower for the press cake than for the hay, and the digestibility of crude fiber was not different between them. Utilization of digested nitrogen of the press cake was very low (21 % ) compared with that of the hay ( 44% ). This means that the alfalfa press cake was inferior to its original plant from the viewpoint of protein utilization. No difference was found between press cake fed and hay fed sheep in some physiological parameters, such as rumen pH, concentrations of rumen ammonia and VFA, and concentrations of serum glucose, urea-nitrogen and total protein. From the results obtained, the press cake was somewhat inferior in feeding value to the hay.