TP 10: Digestibility of organic matter, crude nutrients and energy from cereal grains in wether sheep
Existing data on digestibility of nutrients and energy content of grains are old. It is expected that due to plant breeding the digestibility of individual nutrients has changed. In addition, there are more nutrients of interest, such NDForg, ADForg and ADL, and further aspects have to be dealt with concerning their own digestibility as well as their influence on the digestibility of other nutrients. The energy content of ruminant feed is commonly determined in wether sheep. In a first step, the guidelines for implementation of the standard protocol (standard DOM) were specified methodically in terms of additivity of the digestibility values of the tested feed. In a second step, the required range of cereal qualities were checked according to the clarified guidelines. In a third step, further tests for other subprojects (9, 11) were performed to determine the standard digestibility at specific issues. The grain material used in the digestibility studies of this subproject were also used in the in vitro and in situ studies of the subprojects 9 and 11.
Subproject leader
Dr. Bernd Losand
Landesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Fischerei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern