 | Abstract 54Improvement of nutritive value of tropical grasses by physical or chemical treatment. 2. Effect of wet treatment with sodium hydroxide on chemical composition and dry matter digestibility.Shimojo,-M; Goto,-I Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812, Japan. Journal-of-Japanese-Society-of-Grassland-Science. 1990, 36: 2, 191-196; 15 ref. Soaking Panicum maximum var. maximum, P. maximum var. trichoglume and Chloris gayana in 0.75 or 1.50% NaOH solution at 20 ø C for 24 h increased NDF, ADF, cellulose acid detergent lignin, DM digestibility and acetyl bromide lignin digestibility but decreased CP, ash and silica. Hemicellulose content was reduced by 0.75% NaOH but increased by 1.50% NaOH. DM recovery was higher with 0.75% NaOH whereas DDM recovery and in vitro DM digestibility were higher with 1.50% NaOH. It is concluded that 1.50% NaOH treatment is most effective for improving nutritive value of tropical grasses. This abstract relates to the following species: |