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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 159-169.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020071

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Ruminal degradation characteristics of whole maize plant material before and after ensiling in beef cattle as determined in situ using the nylon bag method

Tao-tao LIU1(), Si-wei WANG2(), Qiu-feng LI1(), Yu-feng CAO1(), Kun WANG2(), Li-juan WANG3, Yi-zhao SHEN1, Xue-li SUN1, Mei-qi ZHANG1, Jin-ling YAN1, Jian-guo LI1, Yan-xia GAO1, Mei-mei WANG1   

  1. 1.College of Animal Science and Technology,Hebei Agricultural University,Baoding 071000 China
    2.Insiences of Cereal and Oil Crops,Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Science,Shijiazhuang 050035,China
    3.Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Hebei Province,Shijiazhuang 050035,China
  • Received:2020-02-21 Revised:2020-05-07 Online:2021-01-20 Published:2021-01-08
  • Contact: Qiu-feng LI,Yu-feng CAO,Kun WANG

Abstract:

The overall aim of this research was to identify suitable varieties of corn to use as feed for cattle in Hebei Province. Therefore, we determined the rumen degradation characteristics in situ in beef cattle, by the nylon bag method of whole maize plant material before and after ensiling. A 2×3 two-factor experimental design was used, with three varieties of maize: 7367, 7377, and 7387. The nutrient composition and ruminal degradation characteristics of whole maize plant material before and after ensiling were determined using the nylon bag method. The main results were as follows: 1) Before ensiling, the contents of crude protein (CP) and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) were higher in 7377 than in 7367 and 7387 (P<0.05), and the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were lower in 7367 and 7377 than in 7387 (P<0.05). The acid detergent fiber (ADF) content was lower in 7367 than in 7377 and 7387 (P<0.05). Comparing silage made from each maize variety with the fresh material of the same variety, the contents of CP, ether extract (EE), crude ash (Ash), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and NPN were increased in silages of all three maize varieties (P<0.05), while the NDF contents were decreased (P<0.05). The contents of CP and NPN were higher in 7367 silage than in 7377 silage and 7387 silage (P<0.05), and the contents of NDF and ADF were lower in 7367 silage and 7377 silage than in 7387 silage (P<0.05). 2) Before ensiling, the ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM), CP, NDF, and ADF differed significantly among the three maize varieties. The ruminal degradability of DM and NDF was higher in 7367 than in 7377 and 7387 (P<0.05). The ruminal degradability of CP was significantly higher in 7377 than in 7367 and 7387 (P<0.05). Ensilage significantly increased the proportions of rapidly degraded DM, CP, NDF, and ADF in all three maize varieties (P<0.05). In each maize variety, ensilage increased the proportion of rapidly degraded DM, CP, NDF and ADF (P<0.05) and decreased the slowly degraded proportions of these nutritional factors (P<0.05). For each maize variety, the ruminal effective digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF were higher in silage than in fresh whole plant material (P<0.05). The ruminal degrade ability of DM, CP and NDF and ADF was higher in 7367 silage than in 7377 silage and 7387 silage. The results show that ensilage can preserve the nutrient composition of these three maize varieties, and significantly improve ruminal degradation characteristics of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF. The nutritional status and ruminal degradation characteristics before and after ensilage were better in 7367 than in 7377and 7387. Thus, 7367 is the better variety to grow as feed for cattle in Hebei Province.

Key words: whole-plant corn, nutrient composition, nylon bags method, ruminal degradation characteristics