The digestible energy content of some tropical forages

Abstract

1. The content of gross and digestible energy of twenty-four forages grown in Trinidad was determined using samples of food and faeces from previously described digestibility trials.2. The content of gross energy of the forages ranged from 4-13 to 5-02 kcal./g. and that of digestible energy, from 2-23 to 3-20 kcal./g. The corresponding regression equations could be used for the prediction of digestible energy.4. The calorific equivalent of TDN was calculated in each case and the mean value was found to be 2114 kcal./lb. Highly significant differences in this parameter existed among diets.