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In Vitro Digestion Rate of Forage Cell Wall Components

Animal Science Research Division, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

ABSTRACT

Linearity of the semilog plots of remaining digestible fiber on time and their correlations (r = .98 approximately) indicated first order digestion kinetics for each of the six forages even though composition and observed rates of fiber digestion were markedly different. Immature rye cell walls digested fastest (27.03 ± .81%/ hour, r² = .999) and mature timothy cell walls digested slowest (5.65 ± .31%/ hour, r² = .985). Similarity of lignin to cellulose ratios in theoretically indigestible residues from rye (.77), alfalfa (.79), orehardgrass (.79), and timothy (.63) suggest a digestion-extent-limiting role of lignin. Rates of cell wall digestion were positively (r = .77, P < .05) related to cell solubles content of the forage. Cell solubles do not directly contribute to faster rates of cell wall digestion.

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