Criteria for breeding forages of improved feeding value: results of a Delphi survey

Abstract

Abstract Progress in improving the feeding value (FV) of forage plants has been slow despite the benefits to animal production that can result from using plants of intrinsically higher FV. The slow progress is due in part to a lack of consensus on the criteria to be used in breeding or selecting forages of high FV. This paper reports the use of the Delphi technique to obtain such a consensus from an international panel of specialists in grazing animal production. The specialists, from Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia, ranked eleven criteria for improving the FV of grasses and legumes for liveweight gain and for wool production. In general, the primary criteria chosen were high digestibility, easy communication, high nonstructural carbohydrate, high crude‐protein and, for sheep kept primarily for wool production, a high sulphur‐amino acid content. High relative palatability, high lipid‐content and erect growth habit were ranked as least important. It was generally considered that mineral content and anti‐quality constituents should be monitored rather than making them specific breeding objectives, although some exceptions were noted. Minor importance was attached to having ‘appropriate’ tannins in grasses; however, this was given a high priority in legumes. These criteria, and the desirability of reducing the extent of protein degradation in the rumen are discussed in relation to comments made by panel members.