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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (10): 178-188.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021402

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In vivo degradation characteristics of dry matter and crude protein of four morphological fractions for five varieties maize harvested at two maturity stages

Dong-sheng GUO1(), Shao-xun TANG2()   

  1. 1.College of Life and Environmental Science,Zoology Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education,Hunan University of Arts and Science,Changde 415000,China
    2.Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region,Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process,National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production,Institute of Subtropical Agriculture,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Changsha 410125,China
  • Received:2021-11-08 Revised:2021-12-20 Online:2022-10-20 Published:2022-09-14
  • Contact: Shao-xun TANG

Abstract:

Maize stalk is an important source of roughage for ruminants, and its nutritional degradation characteristics are affected by variety and maturity of the maize, and also related to the composition of the component morphological parts of the maize stalk. This experiment provides data support for the utilization of maize stalk in ruminant livestock by analyzing the rumen degradation characteristics of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of different morphological parts of maize stalk at two maturity stages. Five varieties of maize: Kexiangyu No.11 (conventional maize), Gaoyou 115 (high oil maize), Kexiangnuoyu No.1 (waxy maize), Huqing No.1 (forage maize) and Kexiang Tianyu No.1 (sweet maize) were selected in this experiment. Samples of the four morphological parts of leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem and husk were collected on day 17 day (milk maturity stage) and day 31 (wax maturity stage) after tasselling, and an in situ degradation technique was used to analyse the kinetic parameters of DM and CP rumen degradation in all samples. It was found that the rapidly degrading fraction (a values) of DM of leaf blades, leaf sheaths, and stems, and the a values of CP of leaf blades and husks at the wax maturity stage were higher (P<0.001) than corresponding values at the milk stage, while the slowly degrading fraction (b values) of DM of leaf blades, leaf sheaths, and stems, b values of CP of leaf blades, leaf sheaths and husks, and the effective degradability (ED) values of the husk DM at the wax maturity stage were significantly lower (P<0.001) than those of the milk stage. The ab and ED values of the DM and CP of the different morphological parts of the new maize cultivars were similar to or higher than those of the conventional maize. Differences in DM and CP degradation kinetic parameters were also observed among different morphological components. The ED values decreased in the order of stem>husk>leaf sheath>leaf blade. In conclusion, extending the maturity period mainly affects the a and b values of DM and CP of maize stalk. Among different varieties, the ED of DM and CP was higher in high-oil and waxy maize.

Key words: maize variety, maturity stage, morphological fraction, maize stalk, degradation characteristic