Effects of tropical legume silages on intake,digestibility and performance in large and small ruminants: A review

A meta‐analysis was performed to determine the effects of feeding ruminants with tropical legume silages on intake, digestibility and performance using a data set with 218 treatments (162 containing legumes, 56 without legumes) from 62 trials. First, a regression analysis was performed for diets containing legumes. Dry‐matter intake (DMI) and digestibility decreased with increasing legume proportion, with greater effects on large compared with small ruminants. Milk yield (MY) by dairy cows was not affected by legumes. Average daily gain (ADG) by cattle was maximized with legume silage inclusion between 200 and 400 g/kg DM, but no effect appeared for small ruminants. A second analysis compared diets without legumes with diets with medium (101–400 g/kg DM) and high (401–800 g/kg DM) legume inclusion. There were no differences in DMI, MY and ADG between the medium inclusion and without legumes, but all these parameters decreased with high inclusion. Digestibility was lower in diets with legume silages than in diets without legumes, regardless of the inclusion level. Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was highest in diets with medium inclusion and lowest with high legume inclusion. While high legume inclusion negatively affected performance, including legume silages up to 400 g/kg DM seems to enhance or at least maintain MY, ADG and FCE, despite lower intake and digestibility. The reasons for such apparent paradox remain unclear. Well‐designed studies focusing on, e.g. microbial protein synthesis, energy metabolism, protein/carbohydrates characteristics, are required to better understand the effects of tropical legumes silages on nutrients’ utilization.     

Prediction of legume silage digestibility from various laboratory methods

The potential of different laboratory methods to predict legume silage organic matter digestibility (OMD) in vivo was evaluated by using data from thirty‐three pure legume silages in seven experiments. The samples were analysed for crude protein concentration, cell wall composition, in vitro digestibility by the methods of Tilley and Terry [Journal of the British Grassland Society, 18 (1963) , 104–111; OMD_T&T], pepsin‐cellulase solubility (OMS) and gas production (OMD_GAS), and for indigestible neutral‐detergent fibre concentration in situ (INDF). The relationships between the results obtained by the laboratory methods and in vivo OMD, all expressed as ratios, were studied using linear univariate regression models with experiment as a random variable (mixed model). Legume silage digestibility could be estimated with acceptable accuracy by different in vitro methods, but not from the chemical composition of the samples. The highest accuracy in OMD prediction was found with OMS (RMSE 0·0113; R² = 0·965) followed by OMD_GAS (RMSE 0·0149; R² = 0·944), OMD_{T& T} (RMSE 0·0149; R² = 0·940) and INDF (RMSE 0·0168; R² = 0·925). The relationships between the in vitro methods and in vivo digestibility are not universal, and should be determined separately for each laboratory and type of forage. Part of the error in OMD prediction can be attributed to errors in in vivo OMD determination.     

Effect of a Bangladeshi home-cooking procedure on the amino acid content,trypsin inhibitor activity and in vitro digestibility of some legume seeds

Raw and cooked samples of cultivars ofLens esculenta (Lentils),Pisum sativum (peas),Phaseolus vulgaris (beans),Phaseolus aureus (navy beans)Cicer arietnum (gram), andLathyrus sativus (dhal) as well as precooked commercial products were analysed for amino acids, trypsin inhibitor activity and in vitro protein digestibility. Of the fifteen samples used in the study one lentil sample, one pea sample, two gram samples and one sample of khesari dhal were from Bangladesh, one gram sample was from Sri Lanka. The other samples were obtained either in shops in Norway or from an industrial firm. The latter were also obtained precooked and dried. The two samples obtained in shops were used with hull and dehulled.Neither cooking by a Bangladeshi household procedure nor industrial precooking and drying had any effect on the amino acid contents of the samples.Cooking and precooking reduced the trypsin inhibitor activity of the raw samples more when the original activity was high then when it was low. The inhibitor activity was similar between samples after cooking.Cooking and precooking and drying increased the in vitro protein digestibility in all samples except in the lentils in which the digestibility was reduced.In the raw samples protein digestibility was negatively correlated with the trypsin inhibitor activity.     

Influence of phytate on in vitro digestibility of casein under physiological conditions

The phytic acid content of four different varieties of beans under different processing conditions was estimated. It was highest in red kidney (1.86–2.13%) slightly lower in pigeon (1.86–2.03%), white (1.80–1.96%) and black eyed beans (1.15–1.64%). There was no significant change in phytic acid content of beans after soaking at 25°C for 22 hours. However, both soaking and cooking revealed 26–37% loss of phytic acid in all four varieties of beans.The rate of in vitro casein digestibility with and without phytic acid at concentrations found in legumes was determined at pH 8 and 37°C using multienzyme technique. Addition of 5 mg Na-phytate reduced the casein digestibility up to 20% compared to the control. However, only 25% reduction of casein digestibility was observed in the presence of 25 mg of Na-phytate. Higher concentration of Na-phytate had no significant effect on the rate of casein digestibility. Data strongly suggest the formation of protein phytate complex at alkaline pH of small intestine.Part of this work was presented at the XIII International Congress of Nutrition in Brighton, UK in August 1985.     

Effect of processing on protein digestibility,biological value and net protein utilization of millet and legume based infant mixes and biscuits

Effect of combinations of millet and legume and processing on digestibility, biological value and net protein utilization was evaluated using albino rats. The millets and legumes selected for the study include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea and green gram (P radiatus). The processes tested include dehulling, boiling, roasting, malting and baking. Among the combinations tested, the sorghum-chickpea combination had significantly (p<0.05) higher digestibility. Between the processes tested, roasting resulted in significantly higher net protein utilization. Results of biological study on biscuits prepared by using millet and legume combination flours, indicated the biscuits to be of good protein quality.     

Oesophageal fistulated cattle can give unreliable estimates of the proportion of legume in the diets of resident animals grazing tropical pastures

Estimates of the diet of resident intact steers grazing four different tropical grass/legume pastures were made by two methods. In the first, oesophageal fistulated (OF) steers were used on three days and the botanical composition of the extrusa determined microscopically. The second method measured the carbon ratio (δ¹³C) of the faeces of the resident steers over three days, and the percentage legume in the diet was calculated after correction for digestibility differences between the grass and legume components. Estimates of legume percentages in the diet by the two methods differed markedly; OF steers selected a diet containing much more legume than did resident steers, the regression of extrusa estimates on δ¹³C having a negative slope.
This, and other evidence, clearly shows that estimates using OF steers of the diet of resident cattle grazing tropical grass/legume pastures can be most unreliable. Reasons for this unreliability are briefly discussed.     

Some considerations on the Influence of external conditions upon the quality of tropical food-crops

Summary With grain crops e.g. rice, maize and sorghum it is quite possible to raise the protein content of the seeds by applications of large doses of nitrogen fertiliser or green manure which leave nitrogen available for the plant after it has used the required quantity for vegetative growth. Treatment with growth promoting substances seems to be promising in this respect, but further experimentation will be necessary. With root crops expectations for increases of the generally low protein content are rather dim. Increases in protein content in pulses can be attained by inoculation with good strains of rhizobia and/or by applications of calcium.

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Zusammenfassung Bei K?rnerfrüchten wie Reis, Mais und Sorghum kann man den Proteingehalt der Samen durch hohe Gaben von Stickstoffdünger oder Gründünger steigern, wobei für die Pflanzen noch Stickstoff verbleibt, nachdem sie die für das vegetative Wachstum erforderliche Menge verbraucht haben. Die Behandlung mit Wuchsstoffen erscheint in dieser Beziehung aussichtsreich, w?hrend bei Wurzelfrüchten die Aussichten für eine Steigerung des meist geringen Eiwei?gehaltes recht dürftig sind. Eine Steigerung des Proteingehaltes bei Hülsenfrüchten kann durch Inokulation mit guten Rhizobiast?mmen bzw. durch Calciumgaben erreicht werden.

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Résumé En ce qui concerne les fruits de grains comme le riz, le ma?s et le sorgho, la teneur en protéine de la semence peut être augmentée par l'addition de quantités importantes d'engrais de nitrogène ou d'engrais vert qui laissent à la plante encore du nitrogène même après avoir usé la quantité nécessaire à la croissance de la plante. Le traitement avec des auxines semble donner des résultats très intéressants à cet égard; d'autres expérimentations devront toutefois être faites encore. En ce qui concerne les fruits de terre, les espérances pour augmenter la teneur en protéine, le plus souvent insignifiante, sont dans la plupart des cas assez faibles. Une augmentation de la teneur en protéine des plantes légumineuses peut être atteinte par inoculation avec de bonnes espèces de rhizobia et/ou par l'addition de calcium.

     

Effect of structure of a tropical pasture on ingestive behaviour, digestibility of diet and daily intake by grazing cattle

The effect of the structure of a tropical pasture, based on Dichanthium spp., on the ingestive behaviour, in vivo digestibility of the diet and herbage intake by eight Creole tethered heifers was studied. Two levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0 and 50 kg ha^?1) were applied to plots after each grazing cycle and there were 28 d between each of the three grazing cycles. Four heifers grazed individual subplots daily on each plot for 14 d in each of the successive grazing cycles. Simultaneous measurements of bite depth, bite mass, biting rate, short‐term intake rate and daily grazing time were made in two 4‐d periods at the end of each 14‐d period. The in vivo organic matter digestibility (OMD) and daily herbage organic matter intake (OMI, expressed on a kg LW^0·75 basis) were also measured at the same times. Relationships among pasture characteristics and ingestive behaviour were similar to those reported in other short‐term studies: pasture height was highly correlated with bite depth, bite mass and biting rate (r = 0·91, r =0·79 and r = ?0·68, respectively, P < 0·001). Pasture variables had lower correlations with grazing time and short‐term intake rate than with bite depth, bite mass and biting rate. Pasture structure was more highly correlated with OMD than OMI: leaf mass and length and also the extended tiller length were highly correlated with OMD (r = 0·77, r = 0·76 and r = 0·72, respectively, P < 0·001) whereas the crude protein concentration of the herbage was correlated with OMI and digestible OMI (r = 0·50 and r = 0·69, respectively, P < 0·001). Ingestive behaviour variables, as well as OMD, were correlated more with pasture characteristics than was OMI.     

Effect of rotary-drum-drier exit temperature and length of pre-drying storage time on digestibility of dried grass cobs

The effect of exit temperature of a rotary-drum-drier and of the length of pre-drying storage time on chemical composition and digestibility of dried grass cobs was investigated in two experiments. Increasing exit temperature from 77 to 166°C reduced WSC, NFE and available lysine content and increased CF content of dried grass. In vitro and in vivo DM digestibility was reduced by 16.4 and 24.5 percentage units respectively. Increasing length of pre-drying storage time also reduced WSC and available lysine content and reduced in vitro and in vivo DM digestibility by 2.4 and 5.1 percentage units respectively. The greatest reduction in in vivo digestibility in both experiments occurred in the CP fraction.     

Amino acid composition, available lysine content and in vitro protein digestibility of selected tropical crop seeds

As the search for alternative sources of food to alleviate hunger continues, this study was undertaken to determine nitrogen and amino acid content, chemical score, protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, available lysine and in vitro digestibility of 8 lesser known, wild tropical seeds, gathered in Nigeria. Results were contrasted with a tropical soybean variety (Glycine max, TGX 1660-15F). The investigated seeds wereMillettia thonningii, Gliricidia sepium, Lonchocarpus sericeus, Albizia zygia, Daneillia ogea andAfzelia bella from the family of Leguminosae,Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae) andEntandrophragma angolense (Meliaceae). The crude protein content, based on nitrogen determination, was found to be lower in the wild seeds compared to soybean, which was partly due to the relatively high content of non-protein nitrogen. With reference to amino acid requirement and digestibility in most seed samples, lysine, followed by sulphur amino acids and threonine, were the limiting amino acids. It was concluded, that these less familiar wild seed plants may be used as valuable food or feed complements. However, further investigation is necessary to elucidate potential toxic and antinutritional factors.     

The effects of temperature on digestibility of timothy (Phleum pratense L.), tested in growth chambers

Plants were grown in pots outdoors and placed in four growth chambers at different temperatures (day temperatures 9, 13, 17 and 21°C) and at three different phenological stages. They were then harvested at weekly intervals for up to 6 weeks. Pots left outdoors were harvested at the same time.
Digestibility was nearly constant during the 6 weeks at the lowest temperature. The rate of decline in digestibility per day, calculated from that portion of the data which was assumed to be best for such estimation, was 0·060±0·008 per cent units for each degree increase in temperature.
The results indicate that the temperature effect on decline in digestibility is the same for early as for late growth stages.     

The effect of drying temperature on in vitro dry-matter digestibility and water-soluble carbohydrate content of perennial ryegrass varieties

In official forage grass variety trials in the UK, herbage samples are dried at 100°C or more to facilitate quick drying of the large numbers of samples that are currently needed. When assessing herbage quality, however, 80°C has been recommended as the highest temperature that can be used during drying without serious deterioration. Herbage from six perennial ryegrass varieties, which were known to show a range of variation in in vitro concentration of digestible dry matter (DMD) and water-soluble carbohydrate concentration (WSC) during the vegetative phase of growth, was dried in an oven with forced ventilation at 100°C and at 80°C before analysis. Mean DMD over all varieties was slightly lower [6 g kg⁻¹ dry matter (DM)] and mean WSC over all varieties was considerably lower (24 g kg⁻¹ DM) at 100°C. Varieties differed in mean DMD over both drying temperatures by 37 g kg⁻¹ DM and in mean WSC by 63 g kg⁻¹ DM. There was, however, no significant interaction between variety and drying temperature for either DMD or WSC. Although drying at the higher temperature underestimated both DMD and WSC, it did not significantly alter the ranking of varieties or the range among them.     

Influence of temperature on corona discharge treatment of cotton fibers

In this study, corona discharge treatment was applied to modify the surface of cotton fibers at various temperatures. The fiber surface was roughened during this treatment and the surface oxygen content increased at a considerably low temperature, and then declined when temperature increased. Weight loss rate showed the treatment was fiercer as treated temperature increased. The breaking strength and surface adhesion property of the fabric treated with starch sizing increased to a certain extent and then decreased. These results suggest that the treated temperature plays a great role in the surface properties of cotton fiber when treated via corona discharge.     

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on phenology as a guide to the selection of annual legume cover and green manure crops for hillside farming systems

The effects of temperature and photoperiod on times from sowing to flowering and maturity in a range of multi-purpose leguminous cover crop species have been investigated in controlled environments in order to quantify the photothermal coefficients which determine their potential environmental adaptation. Six genotypes representing six tropical or subtropical species were grown in 12 environments comprising all combinations of mean diurnal temperatures of 17, 22 and 27°C and photoperiods of 11.5, 12.5, 13.5 and 14.5 h day⁻¹. Another six genotypes representing five temperate species were grown in nine environments comprising all combinations of 17, 22, and 27°C and photoperiods of 12.5, 13.5 and 14.5 h day⁻¹. For all tropical and subtropical species, the warmest temperature combined with the shortest photoperiod hastened flowering and fruit maturity. However, except for Lupinus mutabilis which was photoperiod-insensitive, all temperate species both flowered and matured sooner at the warmest temperatures combined with the longest photoperiod. These photothermal responses in phenological development were amenable to modelling. Times to flowering were satisfactorily described using a general triple plane rate model. Rates of progress from first flowering to first mature pod were also satisfactorily modelled using temperature alone as the independent variable. These photothermal and thermal relations have identified considerable inter-specific differences in phenological responses to environment. The relations can now be applied to reveal the relative suitabilities of these diverse species as potential cover crops across hillside environments throughout the tropics and subtropics.     

Influence of low temperature plasma treatment on the properties of ink-jet printed cotton fabric

The aim of this paper is to study the possibility and effectiveness of applying LTP treatment to enhance the performance of pre-treatment paste containing sodium alginate so as to improve the properties of the ink-jet printed cotton fabric. Experimental results revealed that the LTP pre-treatment in couple with the ink-jet printing technique could improve the final printed properties of cotton fabric.     

Effect of legume flours on baking characteristics of gluten-free bread

The objective of this work was to study the characteristics of four gluten-free bread formulations and the possibility of substituting soya protein with other legume proteins. Four bread recipes were prepared with chickpea flour, pea isolate, carob germ flour or soya flour. Carob germ flour batter structure was thicker compared with the other batters, probably due to the different protein behaviour and the residual gums present in carob germ flour. However, carob germ flour bread obtained the lowest specific volume values (2.51 cm³/g), while chickpea bread obtained the highest (3.26 cm³/g). Chickpea bread also showed the softest crumb. Confocal scanning-laser microscopy results showed a more compact microstructure in carob germ flour bread compared with soya and chickpea formulations. Chickpea bread exhibited the best physico-chemical characteristics and, in general, good sensory behaviour, indicating that it could be a promising alternative to soya protein.     

Influence of post-harvest storage temperature and gamma irradiation on potato carotenoids

Summary A comparative study of nine Indian potato varieties showed a good correlation between their total carotenoid content and the tuber flesh colour. Regardless of varietal differences, carotenoid level showed an increase during storage at ambient temperature (25–30°C) and to a lesser extent at 2–4°C and 15°C. Tubers exposed to an irradiation dose of 10 krad for sprout inhibition showed decreased levels of carotenoids during storage, particularly at 15°C where 50% loss was observed after 6 months of storage. Irradiated tubers stored for seven months at 15°C, on reconditioning at 34–35°C for 6 to 12 days showed a 2- to 6-fold increase in their carotenoid content.     

Effects of sowing methods and seeding rates on growth and yield characteristics of phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides)

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sowing methods (broadcast or row sowing) and seeding rate (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 g/m²) on growth, yield characteristics, and forage quality of phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb.) cv. “Murray”). Experiments were carried out in 2002 and 2003. Sowing method affected dry‐matter yield (DMY): broadcast sowing resulted in higher DMY than row sowing in 2002, and during the first harvest in 2003. Dry‐matter digestibility (DMD) and crude protein (CP) concentration were not influenced by the sowing method, except when DMD and CP of the broadcast sowing treatment increased as the plant weight increased. Contrary to expectation, seeding rate did not affect leaf area index, DMY, DMD, CP, digestible dry‐matter yield or CP yield. Even the lowest seeding rate did not influence the yield and forage quality of phasey bean, compared with the recommended higher seeding rate.