A Nutritive Value Index for Forages

Abstract

This paper presents data on the voluntary consumption by sheep of various weights of nine forages that differed in feeding value either because of species of plant or because of stage of maturity when harvested. Digestibility was also measured for each forage, and live weight changes of the sheep recorded. It was found that by computing intake per unit of the metabolic size of the sheep, a description of voluntary intake was obtained that was independent of body weight of sheep (r2=0.058). It was proposed therefore that Relative Intake of a forage × its percent energy digestibility be used as a Nutritive Value Index. It is also proposed that this Index can be predicted from in vitro fermentation.