Interrelationships between the factors influencing the intake and digestibility of forage by ruminants

Abstract

Intake is more important than digestibility as a criterion for animal performance. Digestibility, however, has a controlling influence on intake. High digestibility of feed goes with high intake so that voluntary intake of a feed is an index of its nutritive worth. Intake is critically influenced by the amount of feed available and both intake and digestibility of forage are influenced by other management factors such as species and the stage of maturity. Digestibility is negatively correlated with ageing, but ageing is positively correlated with yield so that the most economical growth period before harvest for the farmer is a compromise between digestibility and yield.

Uittreksel

Inname is belangriker as verteerbaarheid as ‘n maatstaf vir diereproduksie Verteerbaarheid het egter'n beherende invloed op inname. Hoë verteerbaarheid van voere is gekoppel aan hoë inname sodat die vry willige inname van ‘n voer ‘n aanduiding is van die voedingswaarde daarvan. Inname word krities beinvloed deur die hoeveelheid voer beskikbaar, en beide inname en verteerbaarheid van voer word beinvloed deur ander bestuursfaktore soos spesies en die groeistadium. Verteerbaarheid is negatief gekorreleerd met groeistadium maar groeistadium is positief gekorreleerd met produksie, met die gevolg dat die mees ekonomiese groei periode voor oesting vir die boer ‘n kompromie tussen verteerbaarheid en produksie moet wees.