Rangeland Ecology & Management

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In vivo digestibility of kleingrass from fecal nitrogen excretion
Author
Ferri, C. M.
Stritzler, N. P.
Brizuela, M. A.
Petruzzi, H. J.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2003-01-01
Body

It was proposed that the digestibility of organic matter (OMD) can be estimated from the relationship between total fecal nitrogen (TFN, as a % of organic matter intake (OMI) and fecal nitrogen concentration (FNc) through the equation: OMD = 1 - TFN/FNc. Two assumptions are critical to this equation, total fecal nitrogen (as a % of OMI) is a constant and does not change within a range of diet crude protein and fecal nitrogen concentration is proportional to digestibility of organic matter. The objective of this study was to test if total fecal nitrogen (as a % if OMI) remains constant over 3 feeding levels, and if fecal nitrogen concentration decreases with decreasing organic matter digestibility of maturing forages. Total fecal nitrogen did not change (P = 0.94) with feeding level, but increased (P < 0.05) with evaluation period. The fecal nitrogen concentration correlated (r = 0.60, P < 0.001) to digestibility of organic matter. The results show that digestibility of organic matter cannot be estimated from total fecal nitrogen, unless time of year is considered. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/4003881
Additional Information
Ferri, C. M., Stritzler, N. P., Brizuela, M. A., & Petruzzi, H. J. (2003). In vivo digestibility of kleingrass from fecal nitrogen excretion. Journal of Range Management, 56(1), 52-55.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/643716
Journal Volume
56
Journal Number
1
Journal Pages
52-55
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
organic matter digestibility
feeding level
Panicum coloratum
equations
feces composition
chemical composition
digestibility
sheep
in vitro digestibility
nitrogen content
seasonal variation
Argentina
green fodders
maturity stage
fecal index
nutritive value
N fecal
rams