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Forage Quality, Basics and Beef Cattle Requirements Neutral detergent fiber - ce

Forage Quality, Basics and Beef Cattle Requirements Neutral detergent fiber – cell wall components that can be removed with a neutral detergent solution.
• Related to animal intake:As neutral detergent fiber
increases, animal intake decreases.
• Range of neutral detergent fiber in Bermuda grass: 58
percent (vegetative) to 65 percent (mature).
• Range of neutral detergent fiber in ryegrass: 47 percent
(vegetative) to 60 percent (mature).
Acid detergent fiber – hemicellulose is removed with an acid detergent solution, and what is left is cellulose and lignin.
• Correlated with digestibility:As acid detergent fiber
increases, digestibility decreases.
• Range of acid detergent fiber in Bermuda grass: 29
percent (vegetative) to 40 percent (mature).
• Range of acid detergent fiber in ryegrass: 23 percent
(vegetative) to 32 percent (mature).
Low neutral detergent fiber equals high intake.
Low acid detergent fiber equals high digestibility.
Total digestible nutrients – calculated measurement using the acid detergent fiber value of forage; it estimates the portion of the forage that can be digested by cattle.
• As total digestible nutrients increase, forage quality
increases.
• Total digestible nutrients (percentage of ration)
requirements for pregnant cows: 49 percent (early
gestation) to 64 percent (late gestation).
• Total digestible nutrients (percentage of ration)
requirements for lactating cows: 55 percent (late
lactation) to 68 percent (early lactation).
• Total digestible nutrients (percentage of ration)
requirements for replacement females: 50 percent
(before breeding) to 62 percent (gestation).
Crude protein – calculated from the nitrogen content of the forage.
• The crude protein value is important since protein
contributes energy and provides essential amino acids
for rumen microbes as well as the animal itself.
• The more protein that comes from forage, the less
supplement is needed.
• Energy value and intake of forages are more important
than crude protein, however.
• Crude protein (percentage of ration) requirements
for pregnant cows: 7 percent (early gestation) to 9
percent (late gestation).
• Crude protein (percentage of ration) requirements
for lactating cows: 9.5 percent (late lactation) to 12.5
percent (early lactation).
• Crude protein (percentage of ration) requirements for
replacement females: 7.2 percent (before breeding) to
10.3 percent (gestation).
Author
Jason E. Holmes, Regional Livestock Specialist
Visit out website: www.LSUAgCenter.com