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Evaluation of Forages in the Laboratory. III. Comparison of Various Methods for Predicting Silage Digestibility^{1, 2, 3,}

Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison

ABSTRACT

Recent studies (2, 3, 6) indicate that forage digestibility may be predicted from rapid, inexpensive laboratory determinations. Since most of the current laboratory methods for predicting digestibility are based on studies involving hay, it was decided to test the efficacy of various methods in predicting the digestible dry matter (DDM) of silages.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

Six laboratory evaluation methods were chosen for study: I. Cellulose digestion in the artificial rumen was measured as previously deseribed (2). II. Dry matter loss was measured, using the same artificial rumen system. After the 24-hr fermentation period, the contents of each flask were filtered through crude fiber cloth in a Büchner funnel. The residue on the cloth was transferred to a tared beaker, dried, and weighed. Per cent dry matter loss in vitro was calculated, using the following equation:
III. Dry matter loss was also measured in a semipermeable artificial rumen system, as described by Clark and Mott (3). IV. Digestible laboratory nutrients, DLN, were determined as deseribed by Thurman and Wehunt (5).

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Data presented were reported by K. L. Simkins, Jr. in a thesis presented to the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.S. degree (1962).

³ Supported in part by the Research Committee of the Graduate School from funds supplied by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.