Relationships between in situ protein degradability and grass developmental morphology

¹Department of Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409, USA.

|June 1, 1997

Summary

Forage protein content, including ruminally degradable protein (RDP) and ruminally undegradable protein (RUP), changes with grass maturity. Understanding these shifts is crucial for optimizing animal diets with forage grasses.

Area of Science:

Animal Science
Forage Agronomy
Nutrient Metabolism

Background:

Understanding forage quality is essential for livestock nutrition.
Ruminally degradable protein (RDP) and ruminally undegradable protein (RUP) are key nutritional components of forages.
Morphological development influences the nutritional value of grasses.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between the morphological development of cool and warm season grasses and their RDP and RUP content.
To analyze the impact of plant maturity on microbial protein synthesis and its effect on RUP values.
To provide data for better utilization of forage grasses in animal diets.

Main Methods:

Six grass species (intermediate wheatgrass, smooth bromegrass, switchgrass, big bluestem) were sampled six times during the growing season.
Forage samples were morphologically classified, and mean stage was calculated.
In situ incubation in ruminally fistulated steers determined RDP and RUP, with adjustments for microbial protein and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen.

Main Results:

Cool season grasses exhibited a higher mean stage than warm season grasses throughout the season.
RDP decreased with increasing plant maturity across all species.
RUP as a percentage of crude protein was lower in cool season grasses compared to warm season grasses, with variations based on species and maturity.

Conclusions:

Plant maturity significantly affects the RDP and RUP content of forage grasses.
Corrected RUP values remained relatively stable across maturities, offering valuable insights for diet formulation.
This research aids in optimizing the use of forage grasses by providing detailed protein content data at different growth stages.

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Relationships between in situ protein degradability and grass developmental morphology

Area of Science:

Background:

Purpose of the Study:

Main Methods:

Main Results:

Conclusions:

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