Biomaterial Database

The nutritive value of silages. Energy metabolism in sheep receiving diets of grass silage or grass silage and barley. 1978

N C Kelly, and P C Thomas

1. Two calorimetric experiments were conducted to study the utilization of energy in sheep given diets of grass silage or grass silage and barley. Three silages were investigated. One was made from first-harvest grass in the spring (S) and the others from regrowth cut either early or late in the autumn (E and L respectively). All were of perennial ryegress (Lolium perenne) and preserved with formic acid. Each silage was given at two levels of feeding, the lower providing approximately a maintenance energy intake. The S and L silages were also given supplemented with barley. 2. The digestibilities of organic matter, cellulose and energy in the silages were high. Measured at maintenance, digestible energy (DE) contents (MJ/kg dry matter (DM))were 11.83, 14.67 and 12.90 for S, E and L respectively. The DE contents of the S and E silages were depressed at the higher level of feeding but the effect was offset by changes in the energy losses as methane and urine. Metabolizable energy (ME) contents (MJ/kg DM) for the three silages, S, E and L were respectively 9.88, 12.54 and 10.73 at the low level of feeding and 9.91, 11.99 and 11.08 at the high level of feeding. The mean ME content of barley calculated by difference was 13.76 MJ/kg DM. 3. The mean efficiencies of utilization of ME for maintenance (km) for the S, E and L silages were 0.69, 0.71 and 0.68 respectively. Corresponding values for fattening (kf) were 0.21, 0.57 and 0.59. Excepting the kf for the S silage which was low, observed efficiencies were in broad agreement with those predicted by the equations of the Agricultural Research Council (1965). Similar agreement was obtained with all diets consisting of silage and barley.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009584	Nitrogen	An element with the atomic symbol N, atomic number 7, and atomic weight [14.00643; 14.00728]. Nitrogen exists as a diatomic gas and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere by volume. It is a constituent of proteins and nucleic acids and found in all living cells.
D002151	Calorimetry	The measurement of the quantity of heat involved in various processes, such as chemical reactions, changes of state, and formations of solutions, or in the determination of the heat capacities of substances. The fundamental unit of measurement is the joule or the calorie (4.184 joules). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
D004063	Digestion	The process of breakdown of food for metabolism and use by the body.
D004734	Energy Metabolism	The chemical reactions involved in the production and utilization of various forms of energy in cells.	Bioenergetics,Energy Expenditure,Bioenergetic,Energy Expenditures,Energy Metabolisms,Expenditure, Energy,Expenditures, Energy,Metabolism, Energy,Metabolisms, Energy
D005285	Fermentation	Anaerobic degradation of GLUCOSE or other organic nutrients to gain energy in the form of ATP. End products vary depending on organisms, substrates, and enzymatic pathways. Common fermentation products include ETHANOL and LACTIC ACID.	Fermentations
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000821	Animal Feed	Foodstuff used especially for domestic and laboratory animals, or livestock.	Fodder,Animal Feeds,Feed, Animal,Feeds, Animal,Fodders
D012756	Sheep	Any of the ruminant mammals with curved horns in the genus Ovis, family Bovidae. They possess lachrymal grooves and interdigital glands, which are absent in GOATS.	Ovis,Sheep, Dall,Dall Sheep,Ovis dalli
D012820	Silage	Fodder converted into succulent feed for livestock through processes of anaerobic fermentation (as in a silo).