Original scientific paper
Variations in chemical composition of grass clover mixtures over the vegetation season in different agroecological conditions
Goran Perčulija
; Agronomski fakultet, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb
Mladen Knežević
Josip Leto
Marina Vranić
Krešimir Bošnjak
Abstract
The aim of the current investigation carried out on 6 family farms in 6 counties was to determine seasonal variations in chemical composition of domestic and Canadian grass-clover mixture (GCM). The study was arranged as complete randomly design on 1 ha area at each of the family farm involved (0.5 ha domestic, 0.5 ha Canadian GCM). The sward at each family farm was cut five times over the vegetation season. GCM samples were analyzed by NIR spectroscopy (NIR instrument, Foss, Model 6500) to determine: dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), metabolic energy (ME), digestibility of OM in DM (D-value) and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC). No differences in chemical composition between the two GCM were observed, but among locations for DM, OM and WSC. The interaction of mixture x location was significant (P<0.05) only for OM. The investigated parameters showed no significant differences of the mixture x cutting interaction (P>0.05). This means that no significant differences were noticed between mixtures at the same term of cutting, but for all of the investigated parameters among cuttings. There quality of GCM was increasing over the season as seen from its relative increase in CP from the first (112.9 g kg-1) to the fifth cut (185.9 g kg-1). NDF was higher over the whole vegetation season. The last cut showed significantly lower NDF (628.6 g kg-1), higher ME (10,73 MJ kg-1), D-value (71.6) and WSC (56.3 g kg-1).
Keywords
grass-clover mixture; cut; location; chemical composition
Hrčak ID:
497
URI
Publication date:
6.10.2005.
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