Plant Considerations Associated With Forage Quality

摘要

Forage quality is affected by physiological and morphological differences among plants, and by differing plant responses to climatic and management factors. With regard to forage quality: leaves > stems, young stems > old stems, and green leaves > dead leaves; also, generally, legumes > grasses, cool season plants > warm season plants, and annuals > perennials. Within species, some varieties are higher in quality than others. Management factors that can affect forage quality are afternoon harvesting(higher non-structural carbohydrate levels), fertilization with nitrogen (higher protein content of grasses), and harvesting at less mature stages of growth. Warm, rather than cool, temperatures during growth lowers forage quality. Some diseases, insects, or anti-quality compounds can also lower forage quality.