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Article: Not all fiber created equal: when it comes to forage fiber, digestibility is a real segregator.(Near Infrared Reflectance)(in vitro wet chemistry)
- Article from:
- Dairy Today
- Article date:
- June 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Farm Journal Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Two identical-looking hay samples might both test 20% crude protein (CP), 30% acid detergent fiber (ADF) and 40% neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Yet cows will belly up to the bunk on one of the forages, and let tons of the other stuff go to waste.Worse still, they'll produce 8 lb. to 10 lb./day more milk on the first forage, and leave the bulk tank with room to spare on the second.
What gives? Think digestibility, says Randy Shaver, a University of Wisconsin (UW) Extension dairy nutritionist. Fiber digestibility, to be precise.
Fiber digestibility varies, particularly in hay and hay-crop silage, depending on temperature and moisture conditions during the ...