The Digestibility of Korean Lespedeza Hay and Ground Korean Lespedeza Seed for Dairy Heifers

Abstract

Korean lespedeza is playing an increasingly large part in the feeding program of farm animals. It is widely used as a fine mid-summer pasture crop and as hay; and the abundant-yield of seed can be utilized as a high protein concentrate for livestock feeding. Although the high feeding value of Korean lespedeza has been shown often in comparative feeding trials, few reports have appeared concerning the digestibility of the hay fed alone. The investigation reported herein was therefore instituted for the purpose of determining the digestibility of different types of Korean lespedeza hays and the digestibility of Korean lespedeza seed fed with different hays. )Y(ATERIAI~ AND )~ETHODS Three lots of Korean lespedeza hay were used. Each was grown on a different farm near Columbia, Missouri. The fertility of the soil on which each was grown was only fair. The fields had been clipped while the lespedeza was small so that the hays were practically pure lespedeza. One lot, secured in 1941, was cut about two weeks previous to the start of bloom- ing. In 1942 one lot was made just as blossoms were starting to appear and a second lot was made when blooming was over and the seeds were mostly in the dough stage. The alfalfa hay was third-cutting Missouri-grown hay of good quality. The Korean lespcdeza seed was cleaned seed secured on the open market. Holstein-Friesian heifers 18 to 20 months old were used as experimental animals. The digestibility of each ration was determined with four heifers. Collection periods were of 10 days duration following a 10-day preliminary feeding period in which a constant daily amount (16 pounds) of the ration was fed. The hays were chopped in a hammermill using a 1-inch screen. The seed was twice ground through a ~-inch screen of the hammermill. The entire amount of hay or hay and seed to be fed was thoroughly mixed and sacked into daily rations previous to starting the trials. At the time of sacking the feeds were sampled for moisture determination. The composition of the feeds was determined from composite samples representing the entire lot. The lespedeza hay and seed rations were composed of I part seed and 3 parts hay. Four parts of alfalfa hay were used per part of seed.