European Journal of Scientific Research - EuroJournals

Nutritive Evaluation of Some Trees and Browse Species from Scotland 316
> L. sylvatica > P. sylvestris > J. effusus > V. myrtillus > P. sitchensis > P. menziesii > C. vulgaris
>F. sylvatica (Table 4).
Table 3: Degradation characteristics of the Scottish plant species as described by p = a + b (1-e -ct )
Species a b c RSD A B (A+B)
Fagus sylvatica 19.4 11.3 0.0325 0.447 16.4 14.3 30.7
Brassica oleracea 37.2 62.8 0.1077 5.839 62.3 37.7 100
Pseudotsuga menziesii 26.3 19.7 0.0516 1.643 32.7 13.3 46.0
Lolium perenne 11.5 80.4 0.0671 6.114 32.3 60.3 92.6
Calluna vulgaris 12.0 31.7 0.0374 1.443 10.4 32.1 42.5
Chamaenerion angustifolium 6.5 91.5 0.0440 8.352 24.2 73.8 98.0
Luzula sylvatica 10.0 56.2 0.0178 4.117 16.1 50.0 66.1
Pinus sylvestris 18.7 41.1 0.0366 2.193 20.9 38.9 59.8
Picea sitchensis 27.6 18.8 0.0401 1.303 24.5 21.9 46.4
Acer pseudoplatanus 10.9 62.5 0.0831 3.809 27.5 45.9 73.4
Vaccinum myrtillus 18.3 37.9 0.0387 3.717 18.6 37.6 56.2
Juncus effusus 7.5 59.2 0.0179 1.608 16.7 50.0 66.7
a = solubility and small particle loss
b = insoluble but fermentable fraction
c = rate constant.
A = Washing loss (%)
B = Degradation of water insoluble (%)
A+B = Potential degradability (%)
Table 4: Ranking of Scottish species according to in vitro gas production, DMD and in vivo digestibility
Species Ranking of 48hr invitro Ranking of 48hr Ranking of in vivo
Gas
DMD
digestibilty
Fagus sylvatica 3 (33.69) 12 (27.70) 8 (36.81)
Brassica oleracea 1 (55.75) 1 (100.00) 1 (77.83)
P. menziesii 10 (23.07) 10 (43.79) 9 (35.38)
Lolium perenne 2 (40.61) 3 (87.84) 2 (71.96)
Calluna vulgaris 6 (27.43) 11 (38.65) 6 (45.15)
Chamaenerion angustifolium 5 (32.08) 2 (90.61) 10 (34.66)
Luzula sylvatica 9 (26.45) 5 (54.77) 5 (47.72)
Pinus sylvestris 8 (26.63) 6 (53.64) 12 (33.28)
Picea sitchensis 11 (19.91) 9 (43.82) 3 (58.13)
Acer pseudoplatanus 4 (32.74) 4 (70.91) 11 (34.40)
Vaccinum myrtillus 12 (18.76) 8 (50.90) 7 (36.88)
Juncus effusus 7 (26.75) 7 (50.93) 4 (48.44)
The ranking is shown from the highest to the lowest (1 to 12) with the actual values in brackets
Species had significant effect on the in vivo DM digestibility of the forage species. B. oleracea
had the highest % (77.83) in vivo DM digestibilty as observed with in vitro gas production and in
sacco DM degradability. P. sylvestris had the lowest in vivo digestibility (33.28%). The ranking of the
forages in terms of in vivo DM digestibility was B. oleracea (77.83%) > L. perenne > (72.00%) > P.
sitchensis (58.13%) > J. effusus (48.44) > L. sylvatica (47.72) > C. vulgaris (45.15%) > V. myrtillus
(36.88%) > F. sylvatica (36.81%) > P. menziesii (35.38%) > C. angustifolium (34.66%) > A.
pseudoplatanus (34.40) > P. sylvestris (33.28%). The ranking of the species according to in vitro gas
production, DMD and in vivo digestibility is shown in Table 4. Some plant species (B. oleracea, P.
menziesii and L. perenne) showed consistency / position in the three rankings.
There was a high positive correlation co-efficient between gas production and in sacco. DM
degradability at both 48hr and 72hr (0.72 and 0.71 respectively). The correlation co-efficient of the
relationship between 12hr in vitro gas production and in vivo digestibility was 0.71 while that of 16hr
in sacco. DM degradability and in vivo digestibility was 0.71. The correlation co-efficient of 48hr in