Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #71902
Title: MODELING INTAKE OF SWITCHGRASS WITH VARIABLE INGESTED PARTICLE SIZE AND INADEQUATE PROTEIN

Author
item Fisher, Dwight
item Burns, Joseph
item POND, K - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item LUGINBUHL, J - NC STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two models were used to predict intake of five switchgrass hays varying in maturity from vegetative to heading. The first model (M1) consisted of four compartments and required IVDMD, NDF, and CP as inputs. The second model (M2) consisted of 12 compartments and required analysis of three masticate particle size classes and the IVDMD and NDF of each class. Model predictions of rate of passage (ROP), rumen fill (fill), fecal output (FO) and DMI were compared to experimental observations of steers consuming the switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) hays. Observations indicated that, with increasing maturity, ROP declined from 3.25 to 2.14%/h, fill increased from 1.36 to 1.64%BW, FO decreased from .66 to .58%BW/d, and DMI decreased from 1.76 to 1.13%BW/d. If equal weight is given to all 4 variables, the simpler M1 outperformed the relatively complex M2. With the parameters of M2 adjusted for inadequate protein based on the results of the M1 simulations the results were better than either M1 or M2 alone. This approach yielded predictions that, with increasing maturity, ROP declined from 2.07 to 1.45% /h, fill increased from 1.89 to 2.02%BW, FO decreased from .80 to .65%BW/d, and DMI decreased from 2.46 to 1.38%BW/d. Correlations between observations and predictions were .91 (P=.030) for fill, .68 (P=.203) for FO, and .97 (P=.007) for DMI.