A TWO‐STAGE TECHNIQUE FOR THE IN VITRO DIGESTION OF FORAGE CROPS

Abstract

A simple technique for the determination in vitro of the dry‐ or organic‐matter digestibility of small (0·5 g) samples of dried forages is described. It involves incubation first with rumen liquor and then with acid pepsin. Using 146 samples of grass, clover and lucerne of known in vivo digestibility ( Y ), the regression equation Y = 0·99 X– 1·01 (S.E. ± 2·31) has been calculated, where X = in vitro dry‐matter digestibility. This technique has been used for the study of the digestibilities of plant breeder's material, of the leaf and stem fractions of herbage and of herbage consumed by animals.