| Abstract: | Regression techniques may be used to establish close relations between the crude fibre content and digestibility data of organic materials (total digestibility). It was shown from regression equations calculated for a number of feedingstuffs that the total digestibility of a feedstuff may be calculated, with a sufficient degree of accuracy, from the crude fibre content of the material. The range of variations from most of the digestibility data obtained for various feedstuffs, was clearly below the limit given (2.5%). When regression equations are used the variation limits should always be indicated for which they had been established. Differences within the different groups of feedstuffs are so small that in many instances, the same equation may generally be used for feedstuffs of the same group. Similarly, equations for calculating digestibility values may be derived on the basis of the lignin content of a material, although the range of variations will, in this case, be wider when compared with the crude fibre content. The reason for this must be seen in the greater uncertainty of the lignin method. Analogous regression equations may be found for the different conserving products of green feeds, in which certain alterations have to be made corresponding to the different methods of conserving used. On the one hand, these are accounted for by changes in the crude fibre content brought about by biochemical reactions during the conserving process on the other hand a special influence of conserving form can be observed. The content of digestible crude protein in green feeds can be established, with a high degree of accuracy, from the crude protein content of the material. The content of digestible organic matter can be calculated from the digestibility of organic matter and from the ash content of the material. The content of digestible organic matter is, in turn, closely related to the content of energetic feed units in a particular material. |
