THE IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY OF WHOLE GRASSES AND THEIR PARTS AT PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF MATURITY

Abstract

The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVD) of timothy, orchard, brome, reed canary, tall fescue and mountain rye grasses decreased at the rate of approximately 0.5 per cent per day throughout the growing season. The most rapid decline in IVD began with head emergence. The earliest maturing grasses tended to be higher in IVD than the other grasses at the flowering stage. The decline in IVD as the season progressed was observed in all portions of the plant, the rate of decline for the heads and stems being greater than for the leaves. The upper segments of the stems tended to have a lower IVD than the basal segments.