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The effect of adding surface water to herbage on its digestion by ruminants
Author(s) -
PHILLIPS C. J. C.,
MARGERISON J. K.,
AZAZI S.,
CHAMBERLAIN A. G.,
OMED H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1991.tb02238.x
Subject(s) - silage , hay , rumen , forage , digestion (alchemy) , agronomy , zoology , ammonia , chemistry , dry matter , alfalfa hay , biology , food science , fermentation , biochemistry , chromatography
In two experiments the effects of adding surface water to herbage on its digestion by ruminants were examined. In experiment 1, with sheep, adding water to silage reduced DM intake and the diet DM digestibility. Offering a high DM alternative forage, hay, increased DM digestibility with the wetted silage, but tended to decrease it with the dry silage. More hay was eaten with the wetted than dry silage. In experiment 2, with steers, adding water to fresh herbage reduced DM intake but had no effect on rumen pH or ammonia levels. Adding water to the herbage reduced the rate of DM disappearance from nylon bags placed in the rumen and the proportion of rumen liquor particles of low specific gravity. The proportion of very short and very long particles in the rumen liquor was also reduced by adding water to the herbage.