Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2001
Volume 4
Issue 2
Topic:
Animal Husbandry
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Szyszkowska A. , Sowiński J. 2001. BOTANICAL COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF TWO–COMPONENT MIXTURES CONTAINING RED CLOVER AND DIFFERENT GRASS SPECIES, EJPAU 4(2), #07.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume4/issue2/animal/art-07.html

BOTANICAL COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF TWO–COMPONENT MIXTURES CONTAINING RED CLOVER AND DIFFERENT GRASS SPECIES

Agnieszka Szyszkowska, Józef Sowiński

 

ABSTRACT

The field experiments were carried out in 1994–1996 and were aimed at determining the nutritional value of mixtures containing Trifolium pratense L. + Lolium perenne L., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum and Lolium x boucheanum Kunth. and Trifolium pratense L. + Festuca pratensis Huds.. Based on the botanical analysis, chemical composition and nutritional value, an attempt has been made to determine the variability of the parameters depending on the grass species. The percentages of grasses varied significantly and the variability expressed in the coefficient of variance ranged from 44 to 72.

Key words: Trifolium pratense L., grass species, botanical composition, nutritive value..

INTRODUCTION

In the system of integrated agriculture, characterised by high yields, clover–grass mixtures are of particular significance in roughage production [7, 18, 20]. The mixtures are short living, therefore, they can be easily introduced to the crop rotation [5].

Great variations in chemical composition resulting from the differences in grass ratio to clover in the harvested mass are considered unfavourable for such mixtures. Botanical composition of the mixtures is a derivative of the amount of seed material used for sowing, soil fertility and aggressiveness of the plant species [2]. Weather conditions are another factor influencing botanical composition of plants. Unfavourable precipitation levels and high temperatures during the growing season adversely affect the botanical composition of mixtures, consequently reducing their nutritive value [15]. In addition, the nutritive value of the mixture (irrespective of plant species) is affected by harvest dates of the first cut and frequency of harvesting [11, 19].

Hot and dry weather conditions during the growing season of grasses make that less aggressive species are not competitive with Trifolium pratense L. High temperatures accelerate the development of grasses, reduce the ratio of leaves to stems as well as digestibility of roughage [2].

Despite the misgivings mentioned above, the mixtures containing papilionaceous and grasses give a possibility to obtain full volume feeds for cows [9], since their effects on the changes in the rumen availability of nutrients are better than those of papilionaceous plants alone [13].

The results obtained in earlier studies also show that the nutritive value is correlated with the selection of grass species [10]. For this reason, it is advisable to select plant species with respect to balanced chemical composition and nutritive value. The purpose of the present study was to determine the changes in chemical composition and the nutritive value of two–component mixtures containing clover + one from 5 grass species.

METHODS

The experiments were carried out at the experimental station of Pawłowice for 3 consecutive years and were aimed at evaluating the tetraploid mixtures of Trifolium pratense L. + Lolium perenne L., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum and Lolium x boucheanum Kunth. and Festuca pratensis Huds.

The mixtures were sown in different proportions. Prior to harvesting, the samples were collected for determining the botanical composition, and next, chemical analysis was carried out. The latter included the measurements of the basic nutrients using standard methods [1].

The botanical and chemical analysis of each grass species blended with Trifolium pratense L. allowed us to determine the variations between the mixtures, which included extreme values, the mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variance, irrespective of the remaining experimental factors. The extreme and the mean values were determined using a “Statistica” package.

The calculations for each mixture were based on 36 data from 180 samples in total.

Concentration of net energy (UFL and UFV) and protein digestible in the intestine (PDI) was assessed using an INRA system [16] and a WINWAR computer programme, with regard to the percentages of Trifolium pratense L. and grasses. For estimation of the nutritive value of green forages the digestibility coefficients that were given by Jarrige [6 ] were used.

The analysis of variance and a T–Student test were used for determining the mean values. Correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the differences between crude protein and PDIN and PDIE.

RESULTS

The two–component mixtures of Trifolium pratense L. + grasses showed significant differences in botanical composition. The percentage of grasses (Table 1) averaged from 18.8% (Festuca pratensis Huds.) to 53.7% (Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.). Trifolium pratense L. was predominant in the green forage with the least aggressive Festuca pratensis Huds., when the percentage of this grass in the mixture was reduced. In 1996 the percentage of Festuca pratensis Huds., was the lowest and amounted to 1.1%. The percentages of the grasses in mixtures reached a maximum in the first cut when N fertilizer had been applied, and amounted from 48.9% (Festuca pratensis Huds.) to 96% (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). A significant decrease of grass portion was observed in the second and third cuts when no N fertilizer had been used. This was likely due to the weather conditions, especiall y in August, when the precipitation level was low, which consequently reduced the growth of grasses. Selection of the grass species for the mixtures affected the coefficient of variance for botanical composition. The highest coefficient of variance was obtained with Trifolium pratense L. + Festuca pratensis Huds. (77.9), while the lowest was that of Trifolium pratense L. + Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.(44.4).

Table 1. Percentages of grasses in the mixtures depending on grass species

Species

Min

Max

Average

Standard deviation

Variation coefficient

Lolium perenne L.

2.50

83.40

36.85

23.70

64.30

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

6.10

94.20

46.19

27.03

58.51

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

5.70

96.00

44.39

28.56

64.36

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

18.10

92.60

53.71

23.86

44.43

Festuca pratensis Huds.

1.10

48.90

18.78

13.68

72.88

LSD P = 0.05

5.5

Changes in botanical composition affected crude protein content, the main indicator of the nutritive value of the mixtures (Table 2). On average, crude protein concentration in dry matter (DM) was markedly higher in Trifolium pratense L. + Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium pratense L. + Festuca pratensis Huds. (17.4 and 17.61%, respectively) than in the other mixtures, in which crude protein ranged from 15.2 to 16.0%. Irrespective of grass species, a maximum crude protein concentration (>21.9%) was generally found in herbage from the third cut. Minimum crude protein content was found in the first and second cut in samples from N fertilized plots.

Table 2. Percentages of crude protein and fibre contents in mixtures depending on grass species (% of dry matter)

Species

Min

Max

Average

Standard deviation

Variation coefficient

Crude protein

Lolium perenne L.

11.53

23.13

17.40

3.55

20.42

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

7.54

21.99

16.06

3.98

24.82

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

7.60

23.38

15.71

4.05

25.79

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

8.03

21.97

15.16

3.59

23.71

Festuca pratensis Huds.

10.92

23.07

17.61

3.28

18.62

LSD P = 0.05

0.89

Crude fibre

Lolium perenne L.

18.56

30.20

25.82

3.40

13.16

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

19.86

32.73

26.92

3.61

13.41

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

20.68

34.50

27.36

3.56

13.00

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

19.93

31.64

27.05

3.28

12.14

Festuca pratensis Huds.

20.37

34.09

26.24

3.75

14.28

LSD P = 0.05

0.86

The mixture of Trifolium pratense L. with Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum was characterised by the highest minimum, maximum and mean content of crude fibre in DM (20.7, 34.5, 27.4% respectively). Mean content of crude fibre in the above mentioned mixture was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in the mixtures with Lolium perenne L. (25.8%) and Festuca pratensis Huds. (26.2%). Maximum crude fibre concentration, irrespective of grass species in mixtures, was found in N–fertilized plots, which corresponded with the increased percentages of grasses.

No significant differences were found in crude fat content, the percentage of which ranged from 3.2% (Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.) to 3.7% (Lolium perenne L.) in the DM of green forage.

Crude ash content in DM (Table 3) of the mixtures ranged from 10 to 11.1%. The concentration of minerals was the highest in the mixtures containing Lolium perenne L. and Festuca pratensis Huds., therefore, in the mixtures with the highest percentage of Trifolium pratense L. in the green forage.

Energy concentration was comparable in all the mixtures. The UFL and UFV content in 1 kg green forage DM ranged from 0.85 to 0.90 and from 0.79 to 0.81, respectively (Table 4).

Table 3. Percentages of raw fat and ash depending on grass species

Species

Min

Max

Average

Standard deviation

Variation coefficient

Crude fat

Lolium perenne L.

2.54

4.75

3.69

0.63

16.95

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

2.28

4.59

3.35

0.62

18.52

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

2.13

4.57

3.30

0.55

16.79

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

2.06

4.61

3.24

0.65

20.19

Festuca pratensis Huds.

2.12

4.72

3.44

0.69

20.02

Crude ash

Lolium perenne L.

8.24

13.48

11.05

1.36

12.33

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

7.75

12.20

10.21

1.24

12.20

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

6.57

11.96

9.99

1.40

14.02

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

8.00

12.56

10.34

1.36

13.12

Festuca pratensis Huds.

7.19

14.39

11.02

1.55

14.07

LSD P = 0.05

0.37

Table 4. The nutritive value of mixtures depending on grass species

Species

Min

Max

Average

Standard deviation

Variation coefficient

UFL

Lolium perenne L.

0.77

0.90

0.85

0.03

3.89

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

0.84

0.92

0.90

0.02

2.15

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

0.83

0.92

0.87

0.02

2.42

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

0.83

0.89

0.86

0.02

1.81

Festuca pratensis Huds.

0.82

0.90

0.86

0.02

2.70

LSD P = 0.05

0.01

UFV

Lolium perenne L.

0.68

0.84

0.79

0.04

4.48

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

0.78

0.86

0.80

0.02

2.49

Lolium multiflorum Lam.
var. westerwoldicum

0.78

0.86

0.81

0.02

2.62

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

0.77

0.83

0.80

0.02

2.11

Festuca pratensis Huds.

0.75

0.84

0.79

0.03

3.59

LSD P = 0.05

0.01

PDIN

Lolium perenne L.

72.60

145.20

109.20

22.29

20.41

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

43.30

138.00

100.46

25.47

25.35

Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum

50.30

146.90

99.00

24.82

25.07

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

50.80

137.90

94.01

22.93

24.39

Festuca pratensis Huds.

68.60

144.80

110.92

20.75

18.71

LSD P = 0.05

5.59

PDIE

Lolium perenne L.

77.80

103.00

91.13

7.01

7.69

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

72.80

102.30

90.00

8.13

9.03

Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum

74.50

104.20

89.65

7.99

8.91

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

73.80

102.00

87.97

7.00

7.95

Festuca pratensis Huds.

82.50

104.60

92.44

6.12

6.62

LSD P=0.05

1.67

The mixture with Festuca pratensis Huds, in which the papilonaceous plant was predominant, exhibited the highest PDIN (110.9 g) and PDIE (92.4 g) in 1 kg DM.

In all mixtures tested there the considerable differences between the means of PDIN and PDIE values occurred. The lower values of PDIE in relation to PDIN must be taken into account while selecting of other feeds for ruminants.

High correlation was found between protein value, expressed in PDIN and PDIE and crude protein concentrations of the mixtures (Table 5).

Table 5. The matrix of correlation coefficients between crude protein content and crude protein value expressed in PDIN and PDIE

Species

PDIN

PDIE

Lolium perenne L.

0.9999

0.9533

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

0.9990

0.9933

Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum

0.9970

0.9846

Lolium x boucheanum Kunth.

0.9632

0.9640

Festuca pratensis Huds.

0.9949

0.9577

DISCUSSION

The results obtained in the study show that some two–component mixtures of clover and grasses are likely to become a mainstay in animal diets. Nitrogen fertilizer rates can be then successfully reduced [21]. Besides, the data reported by other authors [8, 9] show that such mixtures fed to ruminants can be considered full–valuable feed in these investigations. The changes observed in botanical composition of the mixtures depended to a large extent on selection of the plant species. Moreover, the changes were also affected by alleopathic properties of the components as well as their competitive nature. The latter applies, in particular, to the low percentage of Festuca pratensis Huds. (18.8% on average) in the mixture. For this reason, such a composition cannot be recommended for agricultural use. N rates reduced the amount of clover in the mixtures, which consequently increased crude fibre, but reduced crude protein content of the mixture. Similar tendencies were also observed in othe r experiments [3, 4, 12, 14, 17]. Moreover, the changes in botanical composition resulting from N rates reduced the content of crude ash (minimal values). This was likely due to smaller amounts of clover rich in Ca as compared with grasses. A similar relationship has also been reported by Olszewska [17].

CONCLUSIONS

  1. Meadow fescue shows low competitiveness against Trifolium pratense L., therefore, this grass species cannot be recommended for use in a two–component mixture.

  2. The amount of protein really digested in the intestine, especially PDIN was highly correlated with crude protein content of the mixture.

REFERENCES

  1. AOAC, 1990. Official Methods of Analysis (15th Ed.). Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.

  2. Buxton D.R., 1996. Quality–related characteristics of forages as influenced by plant environment and agronomic factors. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 59, 1 (3): 37–49.

  3. Dembek R., Lyszczarz R., 1998. Yields and nutritive quality of perennial ryegrass and white clover mixtures. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk. Rol. 462: 173–180 [in Polish].

  4. Gipiskiene R., 1998. Changes of botanical composition of clover timothy mixture applying various cultivation practices. Zemdirbyste Moksolo Darbai 63: 166–173.

  5. Humphreys J., Jansen T., Culleton N., MacNaeidhe F.S., 1998. Comparison of annual herbage yield, botanical composition and mineral content of swards of perennial ryegrass sown with white and red clover Irish J. Agric. Food Res. 37, 2: 159–172.

  6. Jarrige R. (Ed.), 1989. Ruminant nutrition: Recommended allowances and feed tables. INRA, Paris.

  7. Kessler W., Lehmann J., 1988. Evaluation of grass/clover mixtures for leys. Grassland Sci. Europe 3: 231–234.

  8. Kleczek C., Wawrzyńczak S., Bielak F., 1997. The mixtures of grass–white clover in low–cost forage production on grassland. Biul. Oceny Odmian 29: 103–106 [in Polish].

  9. Kryszak J., Kruczyńska H., 1998. Productivity and nutritive value of clover–grass mixtures cultivated on arable land, Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk. Rol. 462: 165–171 [in Polish].

  10. Krzywiecki S., Pres J., Szyszkowska A., 1987. The nutritive value of red clover mixed meals with three kinds of grasses evaluated in different development stages. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech. Monogr. Rozpr. 25: 245–256 [in Polish].

  11. Lattemae P., 1997. Ensiling and evaluation of forage crops: effects of harvesting strategy and use of additives to fresh–cut and wilted crops. Acta Univer. Agric. Sueciae –Agraria 32: 93.

  12. Lee Hyung Suk., Lee In Duk., Kim Wung Yong., Lee H.S., Lee I.D., Kim W.Y., 1997. Effects of N levels on the herbage yield and quality of orchardgrass–red clover mixtures. J. Korean Soc. Grassland Sci. 17 (2): 110–116.

  13. Marin G.M.P., Cabrera C.R., Lopez V.A. Bas M.F., 1997. Estudio comparativo de la degradabilidad in situ de la materia organica de cuatro forrajes en alpacas y cabras. Ciencia-e- Investigacion Agraria 24 (1): 25–34.

  14. Mazur K., Szczurowska B., Mazur B., Mazgaj M. 1991. Yielding and nitrogenous compounds level in the clover/grass mixture diferentially fertilized with nitrogen. Zesz. Nauk. Akad. Rol. Krak. 34: 367–375 [in Polish].

  15. Mosimann E., Carlen C., 2000. Melanges fourragers en regions seches: avec ou sans luzerne? Revue–Suisse–d'Agriculture 32 (2): 57–61.

  16. Recommendations for cattle, sheep and goats nutrition. Ed. R. Rys, 1993. Inst. Zootech. Krak. [in Polish].

  17. Olszewska M., 1999. Trifolium repens L. and Lotus corniculatus L. suitability for temporary grassland mixtures. Grassland Sci. Poland. 2: 91–100 [in Polish].

  18. Pettersson P., Salomonsson L., Nordkvist E., 1998. Differences in botanical and chemical composition of forage from organic and conventional leys: a survey at farm field level,. Acta Agric. Scand. Sect. B. 48 (1):18–25.

  19. Rinne M., Nykannen A., 2000. Timing of primary growth harvest affects the yield and nutritive value of timothy–red clover mixtures. Agric. Food Sci. Finland 9 (2): 121–134.

  20. Scibor H., Magnuszewska K., 1998. Nutritive value of red clover and meadow fescue and their mixture depending on harvest date of the first cut. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk. Rol. 462: 157–163 [in Polish].

  21. Tauber F., 1990. Weisklee–Eine Alternative zu Stickstoffdünger? Top Agrar, Deutsch. 4: 80–83.


Submited:
Agnieszka Szyszkowska
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Quality
Agricultural University of Wrocław
Chełmońskiego 38 d, 51–630 Wrocław, Poland
tel. 071 3205 832, fax. 071 3205 845
e-mail: szysz@zoo.ar.wroc.pl

Józef Sowiński
Department of Crop Production
Agricultural University of Wrocław, Poland
C. Norwida 25, 50–375 Wrocław
tel. 071 3205 293, fax. 071 3205 294
e-mail: sowinski@ekonom.ar.wroc.pl


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