Investigations into the Intensive System of Grassland Management. By the Agricultural Research Staff of Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited. VIII. The Comparative Digestibility and Feeding Value of Fresh and Artificially Dried Grass

Abstract

Two series of trials have been carried out to compare the digestibility of fresh grass with the material obtained by drying grass, from the same source and cut at the same time, in a band drier by heated air at an inlet temperature of 200° C. This process has not affected the digestibility of the various constituents with the possible exception of the crude protein which is slightly depressed. In the second series of trials a drier operating with air at an inlet temperature of 600° C. was also used. In this drier a depression of the digestibility of the constituents of the grass was noted. This was particularly so in the case of the protein which was depressed to a very marked degree. It would therefore appear that although the use of the higher temperature increases the output of the drier, it adversely affects the digestibility of the final product.