Six female rabbits fitted with a simple glass cannula in terminal ileum and a further 6 non-cannulated rabbits were used to perform digesta flow and transit measurements. The animals received ad libitum a diet based mainly on lucerne meal. Flow and transit measurements were carried out using two particulate markers: ytterbium (Yb) fixed on lucerne meal cell-walls by soaking, and chromium (Cr) f...

DURING the course of an investigation into the distribution of the antiscorbutic factor in some South African foodstuffs specimens of the common lucerne, or alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were examined, and it was found that, as judged by the indophenol reaction, this plant was an outstandingly rich source of vitamin C. According to the report on the vitamins issued by the Medical Research Council [...

Two experiments were performed with post-valve T-cannulated growing pigs, using five animals in each experiment in a change-over design to evaluate the effect of inclusion of four different dried forage meals on ileal crude protein (CP) and amino acid (AA) digestibilities. The control diets (C1 and C2) were barley-based and the experimental diets were formulated by replacing the barley with 100...

The use of specific methods other than gravimetric ones to analyse fibre permitted a more precise study of the degradation of cell wall (CW) in the digestive tract. Digesta flow and rate of passage measurements have not been assessed previously in rabbits to investigate fibre digestion and fibre effects simultaneously in the proximal and in the distal segments of the tract. The effect of the le...

Soybean meal, the main protein source for livestock in Italy, is associated with high environmental impact terms of land use change. Thus alternative sources are advisable. The study aimed to evaluate through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach milk production systems characterised by different diets lactating cows including soybean. Four scenarios were identified: (1) conventional soybean m...

Understanding the relationships between vegetative and environmental variables is important for revegetation and ecosystem management on the Loess Plateau, China. Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) has been widely used in the region to improve revegetation, soil and water conservation, and to enhance livestock production. However, there is little information on how environmental factors influence lon...

Foliar and root symptoms are described for Australian lucerne yellows (ALuY), a disease common in Australian lucerne seed crops. A phytoplasma was detected in plants exhibiting symptoms, but not in symptomless lucerne plants. Oligonucleotide primers specific to the phytoplasma 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (SR) were used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays on DNA extracted from lu...

1. Five rumen-fistulated cows were given freshly cut ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), on separate occasions, to compare rates of particle breakdown and aspects of rumen fermentation. 2. Cattle were required to consume their daily allowance (offered ad lib.) in two 2 h feeding periods daily. 3. During the first 2 h feeding period, dry matter (DM) intakes of ryegrass...

Dry matter production data for pure lucerne, overdrilled lucerne and pasture ark presented for 14 sites on pumice soils. On average, the annual dry matter yield of lucerne, harvested at early basal shoot movement, was 50% higher than from pasture, ranging froti 128% higher on a drought-prone soil where the pasture was dominant browntop to 33% on a more moisture-retentive soil type where the pas...

A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effects of a fibrolytic enzyme preparation (enzyme 1; E1) on the in vitro fermentation of lucerne incubated with equine faecal inocula. In experiment 1, high-temperature-dried (HT) lucerne was treated with five levels of E1 (0 to 2.4 ml/g DM) and incubated at 50 degrees C for 20 h. Samples then received a simulated foregut digestion (SFD) t...