Forage Evaluation in Ruminant Nutrition

SECTION 1: THE IMPORTANCE OF FORAGE EVALUATION FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS 1: Forages and their role in animal systems, R J Wilkins, Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, UK 2: Forage evaluation for efficient ruminant livestock production, D E Beever and FL Mould, CEDAR (Centre for Dairy Research), The University of Reading, UK 3: Intake of forages, D L Romney and M Gill, Natural Resources International Ltd, Kent, UK SECTION 2: ESTIMATING THE ENERGY VALUE OF FORAGES 4: Prediction of energy supply in ruminants, with emphasis on forages, S López, University of Leon, Spain, J Dijkstra, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands & J France, The University of Reading, UK 5: Forage evaluation using measurements of energy metabolism, C K Reynolds, The University of Reading, UK 6: The measurement of forage digestibility in vivo, C Rymer, ADAS Feed Evaluation and Nutritional Sciences, Stratford upon Avon, UK 7: Faeces as a source of microbial enzymes for estimating digestibility, H M Omed, D Lovett and R F E Axford, University of Wales, Bangor, UK 8: Enzyme techniques for estimating digestibility, D I H Jones and M K Theodorou, Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystwyth, UK 9: The in situ technique for the estimation of forage degradability in the ruminants, E R Ørskov, Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK 10: Cumulative gas production techniques for forage evaluation, B A Williams, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands SECTION 3: ESTIMATING THE PROTEIN VALUE OF FORAGES 11: Animal based techniques for the estimation of protein value of forages, S Tamminga, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, The Netherlands and X B Chen, Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK 12: In situ techniques for the estimation of protein degradability and post rumen availability, T Hvelplund and M R Weisbjerg, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark 13: Enzymatic and microbial cell preparation techniques for predicting rumen degradation and post ruminal availability of protein, S Calsamiglia, Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona, Spain, M D Stern and A Bach, University of Minnesota, USA SECTION 4: PHYSICOCHEMICAL APPROACHES 14: Characterization of forages by chemical analysis, D J R Cherney, Cornell University, USA 15: Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy: an alternative approach for the estimation of forage quality and voluntary intake, ER Deaville, ADAS Feed Evaluation & Nutritional Sciences, UK, PC Flinn, Agriculture Victoria, Pastoral & Veterinary Institute, Australia 16: NMR and other physico-chemical techniques for forage assessment, D S Himmelsbach, Agricultural Research Service, USA SECTION 5: MINERALS, VITAMINS, ANTINUTRITIVE AND OTHER FACTORS 17: Trace mineral status of forages, A MacPherson, Scottish Agricultural College, Ayr, UK 18: Major minerals in forages, L R McDowell, University of Florida, USA and G Valle, Departmento de Producción Animal, CURLA, Honduras 19: Vitamins in forages, N Ballet, J C Robert and PEV Williams, Rhône-Poulenc Animal Nutrition, France 20: Secondary plant compounds and forage evaluation, J D Reed et al., University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA SECTION 6: GENERAL CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION 21: Current procedures, future requirements and the need for standardization, D I Givens, ADAS Feed Evaluation and Nutritional Sciences, UK, E Owen, The University of Reading, UK and A T Adesogan, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK