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The effect of freezing and thawing grass silage on chemical composition and liveweight gain, intake, rumen fermentation characteristics and digestibility in steers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2021

H.J. Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Feed & Nutritional Sciences, ARRC, University of Kon-Kuk, Seoul, 133-701, Republic of Korea
E.J. Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Feed & Nutritional Sciences, ARRC, University of Kon-Kuk, Seoul, 133-701, Republic of Korea
W.J. Maeng
Affiliation:
Department of Feed & Nutritional Sciences, ARRC, University of Kon-Kuk, Seoul, 133-701, Republic of Korea
M.A. Neville
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystywth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
R.T. Evans
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystywth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
A.B. McAllan
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystywth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
N.D. Scollan
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystywth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
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Extract

In many research situations it is useful to store silage frozen for use in future experiments. However, previous studies using fresh grass have demonstrated that freezing and thawing induces changes in the chemical composition of the herbage (Beever et al., 1974; MacRae et al., 1975). Of particular importance are the reductions in nitrogen and increases in carbohydrate solubility. The situation with grass silage is uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of freezing and thawing grass silage on intake, liveweight gain, rumen parameters and digestibility in steers.

Type
Beef
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1996

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References

Beever, D.E., Cammell, S.B. and Wallace, A.S. 1974. The digestion of fresh, frozen and dried perennial ryegrass. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 33, 73A.Google Scholar
MacRae, J.C., Campbell, D.R. and Eadie, J. 1975. Changes in the biochemical composition of herbage upon freezing and thawing. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge, 84, 125131.10.1017/S0021859600071963CrossRefGoogle Scholar