Effect of ingestive mastication on the shear property of fresh grass fed to steers indoors at two stages of maturity and two chop lengths

Abstract

While the shear property of grasses is considered to be an indicator of the resistance to physical breakdown of ingested particles, few effects on intake or retention time of digesta have been observed with ryegrasses differing in shear breaking load (Inoué et al. 1994). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of ingestive mastication on the differences of shear properties of ryegrass at two stages of maturity and two chop lengths.