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Effects of ammonia treatment and stage of maturity of coastal Bermuda grass on monosaccharide residue composition and digestibility by steers
Author(s) -
BenGhedalia Daniel,
Yosef Edith,
Solomon Ran,
RiveraVillarreal Eladio,
Ellis William C
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740450102
Subject(s) - monosaccharide , saponification , hay , chemistry , ammonia , polysaccharide , zoology , cynodon dactylon , composition (language) , residue (chemistry) , dry matter , shorthorn , food science , carbohydrate , botany , biochemistry , biology , linguistics , philosophy , breed
The effect of ammonia treatment (4 % on a dry matter (DM) basis) and stage of maturity (3,6 and 12 weeks' regrowth of the grass) on the composition and digestibility by steers of cell wall (CW) monosaccharide residues of coastal Bermuda grass hay (Cynodon dactylon L Pers) is reported in this study. Maturation was associated with a gradual but consistent increase in the content of total and CW glucose and with a slight decrease in the content of matrix minor monosaccharides. The content of the CW non‐glucose polysaccharide fraction (NGP) was not affected by maturation. Ammonia treatment exerted a slight solubilising effect on CW components. Monosaccharide residues both in whole hay material and in the CW were equally digestible at the 3‐and 6‐week stages of maturity, but the digestibility dropped remarkably at 12 weeks of age. Ammonia treatment exerted a notable and positive effect on digestibility of monosaccharides generally, and tended to level off the negative effect of maturation. It is suggested that, in this study, the positive effect of ammonia treatment was mediated mainly via swelling of the CW fibrils, saponification of ester bonds, and loosening of the inner structure of the CW, rather than by solubilisation of CW material.