Forage evaluation in ruminant nutrition

Current pressures to maximise the use of forages in ruminant diets have renewed interest in fast, inexpensive methods for the estimation of their nutritional value. As a result, a wide variety of biological and physiochemical procedures have recently been investigated for this purpose. This book is the single definitive reference volume on the current status of these procedures and their potentials and limitations.

Forages and their role in animal systems. Prediction of energy supply in ruminants. Enzyme techniques for estimating digestibility in situ techniques. Cumulative gas production techniques. Near infrared spectroscopy. NMR and other physio-chemical techniques. Trace mineral status of forages. Major minerals and vitamins in forages. Secondary plant compounds.