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<p>Forage types like grass and browse may have a systematic effect on digestive processes in ruminants. One of the existing hypotheses on browse is the induction of faster digesta passage, due to its high lignin content and potentially high brittleness. In this study, 4 hays (chemical composition, dry matter (DM) basis: grass 1st cut (G1): crude protein (CP), 6.4%; neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), 68.2%; grass 2nd cut (G2): CP, 10.6%; NDF, 61.8%; lucerne (LU): CP, 17.1%; NDF, 57.7%; and a browse mix (BR; aspen, raspberry, chestnut): CP, 13.8%; NDF, 48.3%) were fed to goats (n=4 per forage; <i>ad libitum</i> access to one of the forages). Orthogonal contrasts were calculated for grass (G1+G2) <i>vs.</i> BR, grass <i>vs.</i> LU and BR <i>vs.</i> LU. While intake was only higher for LU compared to grass (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> LU: <i>P</i>=0.0097), organic matter (OM) digestibility was higher in grass compared to BR, and highest in LU (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>&lt;0.0001; G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> LU, <i>P</i>&lt;0.0001; LU <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>&lt;0.0001). However, digestible OM intake (DOMI) was only higher for LU (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> BR <i>P</i>=0.7331; G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> LU <i>P</i>&lt;0.0001; BR <i>vs.</i> LU <i>P</i>&lt;0.0001). While no differences were detected for digesta mean retention time, DM gut fill was estimated to be highest in the browse fed animals (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> BR <i>P</i>=0.0162, LU <i>vs.</i> BR <i>P</i>=0.0091). Mean faecal particle size as analysed by wet sieving was largest in browse fed animals (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>=0.0008; LU <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>=0.0079). A more polyedric particle shape was observed for the faecal particles from the browse diet. This was also evident from the lower length to width ratio of browse particles as revealed from optical particle size analysis (G1+G2 <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>=0.0003; LU <i>vs.</i> BR, <i>P</i>=0.0192). The similar DOMI of the grass and browse fed animals despite the considerably lower OM digestibility of browse is the most stimulating result of this study. Among explanatory scenarios is a reduced physical intake (gut fill) limitation due to denser packing in the rumen associated with the different particle shape of browse compared to grass.</p>

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Grass and browse – how forage type affects digestive physiology in ruminants

  • 期刊论文

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月16日

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  • Jürgen Hummel,
  • Karl-Heinz Südekum,
  • Marcus Clauss

摘要

Forage types like grass and browse may have a systematic effect on digestive processes in ruminants. One of the existing hypotheses on browse is the induction of faster digesta passage, due to its high lignin content and potentially high brittleness. In this study, 4 hays (chemical composition, dry matter (DM) basis: grass 1st cut (G1): crude protein (CP), 6.4%; neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), 68.2%; grass 2nd cut (G2): CP, 10.6%; NDF, 61.8%; lucerne (LU): CP, 17.1%; NDF, 57.7%; and a browse mix (BR; aspen, raspberry, chestnut): CP, 13.8%; NDF, 48.3%) were fed to goats (n=4 per forage; ad libitum access to one of the forages). Orthogonal contrasts were calculated for grass (G1+G2) vs. BR, grass vs. LU and BR vs. LU. While intake was only higher for LU compared to grass (G1+G2 vs. LU: P=0.0097), organic matter (OM) digestibility was higher in grass compared to BR, and highest in LU (G1+G2 vs. BR, P<0.0001; G1+G2 vs. LU, P<0.0001; LU vs. BR, P<0.0001). However, digestible OM intake (DOMI) was only higher for LU (G1+G2 vs. BR P=0.7331; G1+G2 vs. LU P<0.0001; BR vs. LU P<0.0001). While no differences were detected for digesta mean retention time, DM gut fill was estimated to be highest in the browse fed animals (G1+G2 vs. BR P=0.0162, LU vs. BR P=0.0091). Mean faecal particle size as analysed by wet sieving was largest in browse fed animals (G1+G2 vs. BR, P=0.0008; LU vs. BR, P=0.0079). A more polyedric particle shape was observed for the faecal particles from the browse diet. This was also evident from the lower length to width ratio of browse particles as revealed from optical particle size analysis (G1+G2 vs. BR, P=0.0003; LU vs. BR, P=0.0192). The similar DOMI of the grass and browse fed animals despite the considerably lower OM digestibility of browse is the most stimulating result of this study. Among explanatory scenarios is a reduced physical intake (gut fill) limitation due to denser packing in the rumen associated with the different particle shape of browse compared to grass.