Changes in forage quality of plant parts with harvesting time in five winter cereal crops.

摘要

This study aims to understand the growth and changes in the nutrient composition in five winter forage crops including barley, wheat, oat, rye and triticale. In Korea, the winter season cultivation of the crops could enhance land use efficiency and improve the global competitiveness of domestic livestock industry by providing high quality forage. The total crude protein content in plants decreased after heading. Leaves and spikes had high crude protein while stem showed the lowest with less than 7%. The acid detergent fibre (ADF) contents in plants decreased with time after heading. The stems showed greater ADF content than the leaves and spikes. There was a linear relationship between ADF contents and ratios of stem weight and total weight. The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content also decreased with time after heading. The stems contained higher NDF than leaves and spikes. There was a linear relationship between NDF contents and ratios of stem weight and total weight. The relative feed value (RFV) increased with the maturation of spikes after heading in barley, wheat, oat and triticale. There was a negative relationship between RFV and ratios of stem weight and total weight.