In Vitro Gas Production and Some Forage Quality Parameters of Different Cereals, Forage Legumes and Italian Ryegrass Hays Used in Animal Nutrition

Year 2025, Volume: 31 Issue: 3, 696 - 708, 29.07.2025

Kadir Erten , Hazım Serkan Tenikecier , Ertan Ateş , Levend Coskuntuna , Fisun Koc

https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1560770

Abstract

In this study, in vitro gas production parameters of some forage legumes, cereals and Italian ryegrass hays used in animal nutrition was compared. The chemical analyses of the most commonly used legume forages such as alfalfa, hairy vetch, forage pea and Persian clover, and Italian ryegrass and cereals such as barley, oat, triticale, wheat were carried out. In addition, in vitro gas production technique was used to determine gas production (GP), methane production (CH4), carbon dioxide production (CO2), ammonia production (NH3) and hydrogen sulphide production (H2S). Organic matter digestibility (OMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) values were calculated with the amount of GP obtained at the 24th hour of incubation. Protozoa count and pH values were determined as parameters related to rumen fluid. The total amount of GP varied between 50.84-65.98 mL in legume rations and 57.80-75.49 mL in cereals and Italian ryegrass rations. When the CH4 content of the feeds was analysed, it varied between 3.90-18.12 mL in legume feeds and 6.52-15.21 mL in cereals and Italian ryegrass feeds. The high digestibility of pea forages among legume feeds and barley among cereals and Italian ryegrass feeds provided high amounts of CH4 and CO2. As a result, while cheap feed materials are used to prepare rations, ecologically suitable feed materials that reduce greenhouse gas emissions should also be preferred.

Keywords

Forage legumes , cereals , Italian ryegrass , hay , In vitro gas production , Methane

Ethical Statement

There is no need to obtain permission from the ethics committee for this study.

Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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