Use of Equations to Predict the Nutritive Value of Tropical Grasses

Abstract

Literature values for the digestibility of tropical grass species were used to compute equations to predict apparent digestibility of crude protein and total digestible nutrients from proximate analyses. It was found that effective predictions could be obtained for the apparent digestibility of crude protein and that values varied considerably among individual grass species. Large differences were not found either among methods of preparation (i.e. silage, hay, fresh material) nor among species of animal used. The equations for TDN accounted for a minor part of the total variation and were of little value for prediction. The results are discussed in relation to the hypotheses underlying the various criteria used in the determinations.