Efecto del estado de crecimiento y ciclo de vegetación sobre la digestibilidad, estimada por método químico, del cultivar Aragón (M. sativa L)

Abstract

The variation of chemical composition (celJ wall constituents, acid detergent fiber and lignin) in lucerne Aragón cultivar at different stages of maturity and vegetation cycles were determined during the years, 1970, 1971 and 1972. On dry matter basis, the percentages of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and lignin regularly increased in all the cycles studied as the maturity of the plant advanced. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0,01). From analytical data, the digestibility of dry matter was estimated using the Summative Equation of Van Soest. The results showed a significant decrease (P < 0,01) of the digestibility against time because of the changes in chemical composition. The digestibility patterns for all the cycles, except the last one, and for the three years were very similar but the length of each cycle influenced upon daily average decrease.