In situ ruminal degradation of dry matter and fiber from bermudagrass fertilized with different nitrogen rates and harvested on two dates

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2003-03, Vol.105 (1), p.185-198
• Main Authors: Galdámez-Cabrera, N.W, Coffey, K.P, Coblentz, W.K, Turner, J.E, Scarbrough, D.A, Johnson, Z.B, Gunsaulis, J.L, Daniels, M.B, Hellwig, D.H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ammonium nitrate; Animal productions; Bermudagrass; Biological and medical sciences; body weight; Cynodon dactylon; Degradation kinetics; Dry matter; environmental factors; fertilizer rates; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; harvest date; In situ; Neutral detergent fiber; nitrogen; nitrogen content; nitrogen fertilizers; nutrient content; nutritive value; steers; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; warm season grasses
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/S0377-8401(03)00046-4

Nutrient composition and in situ dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradation of bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers.] may vary with different management and environmental factors. This study evaluated nutritional value and in situ degradation characteristics of DM and NDF for bermudagrass, a perennial, warm-season grass. Bermudagrass growing on a poultry layer—litter—amended site was fertilized with ammonium nitrate at four rates (0, 56, 112, and 168 kg N ha −1) on 28 April and 19 July 2000, then harvested on 10 May and 18 August 2000. Five crossbred ruminally-cannulated steers (422±21.0 kg body weight (BW)) were used in a randomized complete block design with a 2×4 (harvest date×N fertilization rate) factorial arrangement to determine in situ DM and NDF degradation kinetics. Quadratic relationships were detected between N fertilization rates and N concentration in the plant when harvested on 30 May ( y=0.0001 x 2+0.009 x+27; P